Ben 10: Bride To Be: Volume Two
by WebofSpideyguy7245698
Summary: In the wake of tragedy, Ben begins to favor a life without the Omnitrix. But what happens when crime begins to get worse in the city, as well as when the Forever Knights prove to be a formidable threat? Join Ben and Co. as they must rise to the occasion to fight the Forever Knights. Sequel to Volume One. Rated M for mature language, mature situations and violence.
1. Chapter 76: Alien Guy No More: Part 1

Ben 10: Bride To Be: Volume Two

Chapter 76: Alien Guy No More: Part One

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note_

* Hello and welcome to chapter one of Ben 10: Bride To Be: Volume Two! This is the first chapter, but if ya'll don't mind, I'm still going to go by the chapter number. So, the last story ended on Chapter Seventy Five and this story will pick up where it left off. I'm just doing this because I was at such a high number in terms of chapters, and I don't want to start at number one again.

* A lot has happened since the end of the Blood Brothers story arc. And I'm sure you guys have questions about that. Like, what happened? Is Kevin dead? Did Kevin survive? If he didn't survive, how will Ben take it? If Kevin did die, will Albedo, Gwen and Sunny be able to help him through it? Well, all of your questions will be answered in this chapter, as well as this arc!

* Also, this chapter will be switching between different points of time, labeled as _then_ and _now_. So, please follow and favorite this story if you enjoyed Volume One! Reviews are most appreciated with the start of this new volume! Let's kick off Volume Two!

 _Ben_

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

Sleep. Very possibly the best thing in the world, only to be interrupted by an alarm every morning. Only this time, it isn't an alarm. Sleep is interrupted by an upbeat theme beginning to play.

 _"We're on Easy Street and it feels so sweet, 'cause the world is bout a treat, when you're on Easy Street. And we're breaking out the good champagne, we're sitting pretty on the gravy train,"_ Gwen's alarm began going off. _"And when we sing every sweet refrain repeats, right here on Easy Street."_

My eyes were open, but I wasn't moving. Gwen was probably awake, seeing as she had shut off her alarm. She slept on the side of the bed that had the nightstand, where her phone charged every night.

"Ben." Gwen said.

I didn't respond.

"Ben!" she said, rolling over to face me. "It's time to get up!"

"No." I said in a glum tone, rolling over to face the wall.

"Benjamin, it's a school day and you're getting up!" Gwen said.

I said nothing.

"Benjamin!" Gwen said, as she kicked me in the back.

I sighed, as I sat up.

"You're the one who showers first every morning. So go." Gwen said, as she got out of bed and turned on the light.

I just sighed and got out of bed, opened the door and headed towards the bathroom.

I flipped on the light to the bathroom and walked in, closing the door behind me. I turned on the water to the shower and waited for it to get warm, taking off my pajamas as I did. I stepped into the shower and let the warm water douse me.

 _Four months. It's been four months and I still refuse to believe it. I don't want to believe it. I don't know how longer I can do this. Since I lost him, my life has been hell. The things I've given up since that day. Oh God..._

I put my hand over my eyes and began to cry. Still crying, I slid down against the shower wall and sat down on the bathtub floor.

 _Then_

 _Late July_

"I don't know how long I can go, man." Kevin said, as he laid on the roof, Gwen and I holding both of his hands.

"Kevin, don't say that." I said. "You'll make it out of this. I swear. I've been a terrible friend Kevin. I just hope we can be friends again after this."

"Ben, you're my best friend. My best." he said, as he laid there, looking up at me. "I love you like a brother, man."

"So do I." I said, as I held his hand tighter. "We'll get you out of this."

"Ben, Ben-" Kevin began to speak, but he never finished.

His hand went slack in mine.

 _No. No, no, no. No!_

"Kevin." I said, as I slapped his hand.

No response.

"Kevin!" I exclaimed, as I began to shake him by the shoulders. "Kevin! Kevin!"

I was wailing his name now, as tears began to stream down my cheeks. Gwen grabbed hold of me and pulled me back.

"It's okay, Ben! We won't let it end here! We'll get Grandpa Max!" she exclaimed. "Kevin'll be okay, I promise! We'll bring him back!"

It didn't matter. As Gwen tried to pull me away from Kevin, I still cried more that day than I'd ever cried before.

 _Now_

I sat on the floor of the bathtub, my head resting on my folded arms, still crying. It was all I ever did now. I heard the door to the bathroom open. Footsteps heading towards the shower followed.

The shower curtain was pulled back and I looked up. Gwen stood there, with her arms crossed, blocking my view of her bare chest. Not that I cared.

"You haven't done anything but cry in here, have you?" she asked, as she stepped into the shower with me.

I didn't answer, as I stopped crying. Gwen sat down across from me, with her arms folded across her chest.

"Ben, I realize that you're still broken up about it. But it's been four months." she said. "I think it's time to move on! Kevin wouldn't want you to be like this!"

I stiffened up and began to cry again. Gwen said nothing for a second or two.

"Oh crap, Ben. I'm sorry." she said. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry."

I said nothing, as I continued to cry.

"Come here." she said, as she pulled me closer to her, so she hugged me. You might think that having Gwen's bare chest pressing against mine would turn me on. Well, no. A lot of stuff has happened. Having my girlfriend hug me, naked or not, hardly comforted me.

After a few seconds of her hugging me, she let go of me and stood up with her back to me, blocking off the warm water coming from the shower head.

"Now, you can either help me out by washing my back or you can get out." Gwen said, as she began to let the water douse her. "Today is a big day and I don't need anything getting in the way. Take your pick."

Usually when Gwen and I showered together, which was often, we helped one another out by washing each other's backs. But, frankly, what she had said kind of pissed me off.

I got up, yanked the curtain back, got out and walked back into the part of the bathroom with the sink, where Gwen had left out a towel for me.

"Was it something I said?" Gwen asked, as she poked her head out of the shower to look at me.

I didn't look back at Gwen. I just grabbed my towel, wrapped it around myself and stormed out of the bathroom. I headed down the hallway back to my old room.

Even though Gwen and I shared a room now, we didn't get dressed in the same room. It would be a little more awkward than we were used to.

 _Then_

 _Late July_

"No, I'm being serious Aunt Sandra." I listened to Gwen on the phone with my mother. "It's urgent. That urgent. The service is in a week, I know you guys could miss it. But you have to get back here."

Gwen didn't speak for a second.

"No, he refuses to talk to anyone, even me. And we've been doing fine for the last three or four weeks." Gwen continued. "He doesn't need me, he needs his parents. You just have to get back here."

 _That was lie. I didn't need my parents right now. I didn't need anything. I didn't want anything. All I wanted was to be left alone._

"Yes, that's all Aunt Sandra. Tell my mother and father that I love them." Gwen said, as she was about to hang up. "I'll see you guys when you get back, love you!"

Gwen walked into the living room, where I was sitting by myself.

"Okay, your parents will be back in a week." she said. "But they'll miss the service."

I didn't say anything.

"Ben? I really wish you'd say something." Gwen said.

"I don't care. How's that?" I asked harshly, as I got up.

"Look, I know you're still grieving about-" Gwen began to speak, but I interrupted.

"Don't." I said, as I stepped up to face her. "He wasn't your best friend since the second grade!"

With that, I stormed away from her, leaving her confused.

 _Now_

I sat at the kitchen table, all alone, not touching the pancakes that my mom had made me for breakfast. Gwen might have still been in the shower, I didn't know.

"Ben, you need to eat!" my mom urged me.

I didn't answer, nor did I pick up my fork. My mom sighed and walked away.

"Carl, you need to do something! Your son hardly eats or talks anymore!" she whispered to him, loud enough for me to hear. "He is clearly not well!"

"Don't, Sandra. He just has to let it work its course." my dad said.

I got up from my chair and walked towards the hallway that led to the basement stairs.

"Ben? You're sure you don't want to eat, buddy?" my dad asked as I walked.

I didn't stop to answer.

 _Then_

"Ben," Gwen whispered, sitting next to me. "You should say something!"

I said nothing; I just remained in my spot on the bench and waited for the whole thing to be over.

"Ben?" Gwen asked again.

I just got up and walked past Gwen. I walked over to a lady who was crying pretty hard. I stopped when I got over to her and cleared my throat before I spoke.

"Um, Ms. Levin?" I asked.

The lady looked up at me.

"I-I am so sorry for your loss, Ms. Levin." I said, as I began tearing up again.

"Oh, Benjamin. I hope you know that you meant the world to him." Ms. Levin said. "He loved you like a brother."

I sniffled.

"I know he did, Ma'am." I said.

It surprised me when Ms. Levin got up from her seat and hugged me. I was taken aback, but I hugged back after a while.

"Thank you for being his friend for so many years. Thank you for guiding him when he was lost and had no idea what to do with himself." she whispered loud enough for me to hear. "You have no idea how much you meant to him."

"I do ma'am. He was like my brother, too." I said.

After her standing there hugging me for a few more seconds, she let go.

"You go kid. And you have a good life." she said. "You deserve it."

I was about to walk away, but turned back to face her.

"Ms. Levin, I just wanted to say, that I hope the future is kind to you." I said.

"T-Thank you, Benjamin." she said, as she sniffled and rubbed her nose with tissue.

 _Now_

Sick of being around the people that were supposed to support me, I retreated downstairs, to the storage room. There, as you should remember, I keep my comic book collection, assorted in multiple boxes, my mementos and old clothes.

I was hoping to have some time alone down there, but no such luck. When I got there, Albedo was leaning up against a stack of boxes, making out with Sunny, as he held her knee up to his waist.

"Ahem." I said, clearing my throat.

I didn't get a response.

"Ahem." I said again, louder this time. "Why can't I have my own room in this house?"

Sunny held up her finger as she and Albedo continued to kiss, telling me to wait a minute.

"Hey!" I shouted, as I banged the door with my forearm.

They both jumped, causing Albedo to knock over one of my boxes, spilling my Amazing Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man comic book collection all over the floor.

"God damn it!" I exclaimed with anger, as I walked over to the spilled box.

As I looked at the comic books on the floor, I got angry. I looked at Albedo with anger and he looked at me with fear.

"Get out." I said.

"But, Ben-" Albedo began to speak, but I cut him off with anger.

"Didn't you hear me?! I told you to get the hell out!" I exclaimed. "So do it, damn it!"

Albedo left, giving me a look of anger. Sunny was right behind him, but stopped and came back over to me.

"Sunny, I told you to-" I began to speak, but she cut me off.

"We're all here for you." she said as she hugged me.

I honestly didn't believe that Sunny was actually hugging me and trying to comfort me right now, as four and a half months ago, she tried to kill me.

"We didn't know him like you did, that's why we recovered so fast. We supported your decisions over the past months." she said. "Today is the anniversary and I know that you're planning on skipping school. I don't think you should."

I just huffed, as I lightly hugged her back.

"If "supporting" me is telling me that I should move on four months after it happened, you need to get your head on straight." I said.

"Well, God damn!" Sunny said, pulling away from me. "If you're gonna be like that; then we're _not_ here for you. Especially not me!"

She pushed past me and stormed out of the storage room, leaving me alone with a pile of disorganized comic books.

 _Then_

I stood in front of the hole in the ground, where a casket laid, as well as a grave waiting to be made. I looked down at the dozens of roses that lay on the top of the casket.

"Ben, we've been standing here for almost half an hour!" Gwen whispered to me. "Everyone else has left, we should go!"

I said nothing; I just remained where I was, in silence. I heard Albedo whispering behind me. He eventually walked over to me.

"Hey brother, we're going to wait by the car. Take all the time you need." he said.

I didn't answer.

"Come on guys, let's go." Albedo said, as I heard their departing footsteps.

Once they were gone, I stood there in silence for a minute or two. Then, I finally spoke.

"I have a few things I need to say. And even if you can't hear me, you'll listen anyway." I said. "I wasn't a good friend. I can accept that. But in the end, you admitted that I was your best friend. I don't deserve that."

I sniffled, but didn't start crying. I was done crying for the day.

"You are my best friend. I just wish you could hear me say it. I feel like this whole thing is my fault. I feel like if last month, if we hadn't of shook hands, maybe, just maybe, you'd be alive today." I said. "I take full responsibility. I'll carry this burden for the rest of my life."

I got onto my knee and sighed.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, brother." I said, as I placed the rose on the casket with all the other flowers.

I got back to my feet and walked to the car where Gwen, Albedo and Sunny were waiting for me.

"Time to go?" Gwen asked.

"I call shotgun." I mumbled, nodding as I headed for the passenger side of the car.

 _Now_

I sat on the floor, with my back against the boxes and my legs outstretched in front of me. And yes, I had been crying again. I heard footsteps coming down the basement stairs and eventually into the storage room.

"You didn't eat your breakfast." Gwen said.

I didn't reply.

"Would you just talk to me?" Gwen asked. "Today is the anniversary and at school they're having a memorial at his lo-"

"I'm not going to school today." I said, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, you most certainly are going to school today!" she exclaimed. "Today is the four month anniversary and you will go to at least pay your respects!"

"No." I said.

"Benjamin!" Gwen exclaimed.

I looked away from her, ignoring her. All of a sudden, she grabbed my ear and pulled me up to my feet, causing me a lot of pain.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, as I rubbed my ear and looked at her.

She crossed her arms, with a determined look on her face.

"Fine, I'll go get my fucking backpack!" I snapped, as I stormed out of the storage room.

 _Then_

I laid on the bed that Gwen and I shared. I was alone in the room, as I needed time to think. After thinking about what I needed to do and how to do it, I got up off of the bed. I walked into the living room, where Albedo, Gwen and Sunny were at.

"Uh, I have an announcement." I said.

They all looked up.

"What is it?" Gwen asked.

I took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm quitting." I said.

"Quitting what, exactly?" Sunny asked.

"I'm quitting Alien Guy. I'm done." I said. "I don't want to do it anymore."

"But you can't quit!" Gwen exclaimed, as she got up and ran over to slap me.

"Yeah, Ben! What are you thinking?!" Albedo asked. "And we just started the team, too!"

"You can't just quit! You're a super hero!" Sunny exclaimed.

"No! I'm not a super hero! I'm just some guy!" I yelled. "I'm just some guy who set out to do something and failed miserably. I'm not a super hero. I'm just some guy."

"Ben-" Gwen said, but I interrupted.

"No, no, no. Don't you see, Gwen? You were right all along!" I said. "I'm not a hero! I was just a kid playing dress up! I'm just a stupid, insignificant kid!"

"Ben, don't say that." she said.

"It's the truth." I said, as I walked back to our room, leaving them alone.

 _Now_

I walked into school with Gwen, Albedo and Sunny, holding one strap of my backpack as I walked. A lot of people came up to me to say they were sorry about the deceased, but I never responded.

We went to our first class of the day and after that, I stopped by his locker. The locker was decorated with ribbons of his favorite color, pictures of him with friends and family and other things he liked.

I stood there for a second, before sighing and gently placing my hand on the locker. And with that, I walked away from the locker.

Gwen didn't seem to complain about how I paid my respects. No one said anything.

 _Then_

I drove out to the downtown area. Once I got there, I got out of my car and walked into an alley, with a pile of stuff in my arms.

I kept walking and stopped once I got to a trash can. In my hands, was my mask, my gloves and wrist gauntlets, my leather jacket, black T-shirt, jeans, boots and lastly, the Omnitrix.

I dumped it all into the trash bin. Then, looking at it all one last time, I turned around a few seconds later. I walked back to my car. And I didn't once look back.

 _Now_

I sat at the lunch table, staring off into space. I think Albedo was trying to make conversation with me, but I just ignored him. Gwen had her hand on top of mine, but I acknowledged nothing.

All of my memories with him flashed through my head, which slowly threw me into disarray. It was then that the school intercom came on in the cafeteria.

"Attention students, this is your principal." the principal's voice rang out. "Due to the blizzard that is supposed to start in only a couple hours, the staff has decided to postpone school."

Everyone cheered, except for Gwen and I, that is.

 _A blizzard a week before Thanksgiving. That's not normal. Is it?_

"All classes are suspended until further notice. After lunch is over, you are to report to the busses and get home safely. No need to rush." he continued. "Thank you, get home safe and have a great weekend."

Albedo and Sunny high fived each other. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked over at J.T., who had his hand raised in my face, offering the chance to high five each other. I just went back to eating my lunch.

 _Then_

Standing in front of the grave, I got on my knee and sighed.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, brother." I said, as I placed the rose on the casket with all the other flowers.

I looked at the gravestone. The gravestone said:

 _Here lies Kevin Ethan Levin. Born November 1999 – Died July 2017_. _A brother, a true friend._

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's the first chapter of Volume Two! Are you feeling all of the pain that Ben feels right now? Did everyone like how it was set in two different timelines? So, I was able to release this chapter earlier than I expected. However, it may take a few days for me to release new chapters. So yeah, Kevin is dead. He died at the end of Chapter Seventy Five. Just to clarify what exactly happened to him, how exactly he died, his body gave out is what happened.

* His body could only take so much with the addiction that he had to the Omnitrix's power. And the last transformation that he made into Kevin 11,000 was the last his body could give without causing irreparable damage. So when he transformed back into Kevin at the end of the previous chapter, his body gave out from all of the strain it put on him and he died of a heart attack.

* In the aftermath, there was Kevin's funeral, Ben and Gwen's parents came back home and Ben away the Omnitrix, along with his costume. If that reminded you a lot about a very, very, very similar in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004), where Peter Parker does essentially the same thing, it was supposed to. I pull a lot of inspiration from comic books, especially Spider-Man, as he's my favorite Marvel Super Hero, as well as my favorite hero overall. And I just couldn't resist taking that iconic scene in which Peter Parker quits being Spider-Man and replicating it for when Ben quit being Alien Guy in this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it!

* Speaking of Ben and Gwen's parents, expect more than one shock coming in the next chapter or two. They're going to be big! I promise you that! And I'll let you know that Ben isn't going to be retired for long. He will eventually become Alien Guy again. (He kinda has to!)

* Anyway, that's going to do it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of Volume Two! Please favorite and follow this story if you enjoyed the first chapter! Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye! (Yes, this is seriously going to be my new outro! Catch you guys on the flip side!)

 _ **Review Responses:**_

 _csgt: "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good" XD I definitely noticed the Infinity War reference I think Kevin is dead, but he may come back. If Kevin comes back, I think he will come back as a complete monster, not as Ben's friend anymore._

 _I got the feeling that Albedo would get laid before Ben XD Yes, it's in-character for Sunny to tease Albedo in that way, that was a very funny moment, and I'd say you stole the idea right out of my mind XD (Just kidding, I had an idea for a Ben/Charmcaster scene for Mystic Vanguard that would be very similar to what you did with Albedo/Sunny here)_

 _Savage Animo was a beast! Come on, S.E.C.T. should probably throw him in the Sun, because coming back from all that? Wow. Yeah, I noticed that Kevin used a lot of aliens: Spider-Monkey, Overflow/Water Hazard, Eye-Guy, Arctiguana, just to name a few others that you didn't mention. Very great fight scene, and great ending for Volume 1._

I'm glad you caught the reference to Infinity War. Well, Kevin is obviously dead. As for if he will come back and how he could come back? My lips are sealed. I won't confirm/debunk anything. I'm glad you enjoyed the scene with Sunny and Albedo. Oh, I stole the idea right out of your mind? Crap, I'm under arrest then, XD But if you still want to use that idea, go for it! Yeah, Savage Animo was a tough one. I'm glad you enjoyed the fight scene and the end to Volume One.

 _Sishen123: Ok just had to let you know i am okay with you calling me justin or sishen but please know it is pronounced. (Psy)-(shin) people get that wrong all the time but anyway what i ment by the watch boy & lucky girl way was that verdona was only Gwen's grandme in that story. Now i haven't read the chapter's yet i just had to let you know but anyway i will re review when i am done reading tomorrow. Until then peace out :)_

Thanks for the feedback, Justin and thanks for the tip on the pronunciation. As for what you meant by the WB and LG thing, again, I don't know how I'm going to introduce the Anodites in my story, let alone if I'll actually introduce them. Again, thanks for the feedback.

 _jasongd: Great story and great but sad ending congrats_

 _Q-1 No I don't think that Kevin is dead and I realy hope that he will be OK_

 _Q-2 I think he managed quite well even though I would first shock him and then freeze him in water pond_

 _Q-3 Oh I very much enjoyed that :-P :-)_

 _Q-4 Yes It's a pretty good idea, provided that this rule works when Albedo turns into an alien first and then Ben will not be able to turn into the same alien as Albedo of course it would work both ways_

 _I'll be witing for next Volume_

 _BWEN Forever_

Well, uh, Kevin is dead, so there's that. I'm glad you think that he managed well in the fight. I'm glad you enjoyed that scene. As for if the rule works for Albedo, I'll consider it. Thanks for the review.

Next Chapter: Ben finally reveals what Professor Paradox said to him after they defeated Emperor Vilgax in Old Man Ben's dimension. Ben's mother and father have shocking news for him.


	2. Chapter 77: Alien Guy No More: Part 2

Chapter 77: Alien Guy No More: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Two of Volume Two, even though it's technically Chapter Seventy Seven, because of the weird thing that I have with numbers. Pushing that aside, in this chapter, we'll finally find out what Professor Paradox said to Ben all those chapters ago.

* Also, huge shockers coming in this chapter, just saying! Anyway, enough of me talking, time to get into this chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Madison High School_

 _You know what the best part about my life is? The best apart about my life is that after all of the misery I go through every day, I get to wake up the next morning and live through it all over again._

I let out a sigh, as I closed my locker. Once I had closed my locker, I saw Gwen standing next to me, her face having been hidden from my locker's door.

"Ben!" she said my name with excitement.

I had no idea what she was so excited about.

"What?" I asked in my usual glum voice.

"What were you going to do after school today?" she asked.

"Um, I don't know." I said. "I was probably going to just go up to Kevin's grave before the weather got too bad. Why?"

"You can do that later." She said, as her emerald eyes lit up. "Did you bring your roller skates to school today?"

"Um, yeah. They're in my gym locker." I said. "Why?"

"Let's just go somewhere. Let's not even go home." She said. "Let's just go out and skate together until we can't skate anymore!"

I looked into her pleading eyes. It was too difficult to say no to her. I looked over across the hall, to see Albedo and Sunny making out, she pressing him up against a set of lockers, no one batting an eye at them.

 _Damn it. Why can't our relationship go back to being like that? What went wrong? You know what? Screw it, I'm taking today off. Wait, taking the day off? I don't do anything but mope around the house, while squandering in my own self pity. In a way, I was already off!_

"You go on ahead of me." I said. "I'll grab my roller skates on the way out and then I'll meet you outside."

"Thanks, Ben!" she exclaimed, before kissing my cheek. "You're the best!"

I smiled sheepishly, as she ran off. I let out a sad sigh, as I headed towards the gym area of the Madison High.

 _Then_

 _July_

I watched as they began to lay Kevin's casket into the hole that they had dug. I sniffled a little, but I said nothing nor did I cry. That's when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to see Ken standing there.

"Ken!" I said with worry, as I let go of Gwen's hand, having the knowledge that he could have seen us holding hands.

"No Ben, keep holding my sister's hand." He said which shocked me quite a lot.

Gwen and I looked at each other with shock. I looked back at him. Before I could speak, he beat me to it.

"I was wrong, okay?" he said. "I was wrong and you were right."

"You were wrong?" I asked. "Wrong about what?"

"I was wrong about me not wanting you to date my sister. Now more than ever, I realized that I was wrong." He said. "I know my sister. She's a kind and caring person. If anyone can help you recover in this time, it's her. I think that you should keep dating Gwen."

I was in shock. Ken had just done a complete 180, going from wanting to split us up to encouraging us to stay together. This was an unexpected surprise.

"So, we can keep dating?" Gwen asked.

"I think it's in Ben's best interest to keep dating you in this time." He said. "You are the person he needs to be around right now and you would make for good support."

"Um, thanks for this?" I asked. "I guess?"

"Why do you sound so unsure?" he asked.

"Because you didn't want me to keep dating Gwen. In fact, you wanted to take her away from me." I said. "I just don't trust this."

"We're like brothers, aren't we?" he asked. "You can trust me on this, Ben. I promise."

He stuck out his hand and looked at me. I looked back at him, before hesitantly taking his hand and we shook. Once we let go of each other's hand, he spoke again.

"Look, our family is going to be back in a couple days." He said. "So I hope that you'll understand when I say that I'm going to tell our parents about you two dating."

"No Ken, please-"

I interrupted Gwen, placing my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me with surprise.

"Gwen, let me take this please?" I asked her.

She just looked at me, before reluctantly nodding. I looked back at Ken.

"I think you should tell them." I said. "I'm tired of keeping secrets from people. And this is too big of a secret to hide."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Positive." I said.

"Shake on it again?" he asked.

I took his hand and we shook again. That's when he noticed my watch on my right wrist. Or rather, he noticed the lack of a watch on my right wrist.

"Hey, where's that thing?" he asked. "What was it called?"

"What, the Omnitrix?" I asked, as we let go of each other's hand. "It's sitting on the shelf at home. I wanted a break from it."

"Well, are you going to put it back on at some point?" he asked.

I stared back at him, as I narrowed my eyes.

"I don't know." Was all I said.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

I walked outside the school through the main entrance/exit, with my roller skates hanging by my backpack. I was a little surprised with what I saw. Gwen was nowhere to be found.

 _Wow. We're getting stood up again, aren't we? God damn it._

I let out a sigh. I was about to walk off in a fit of disappointment, when a pair of hands covered up my eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, hands off!" I exclaimed, as I tried to run forward, but to no avail. "What's going on? Where are you?!"

I heard a feminine laugh.

"I'm right here, Doofus." I heard Gwen's voice.

That's when it dawned on me. She must be the one with their hands over my eyes. She must have snuck on me to try to catch me off guard. And I didn't know it was her?

 _I'm so fucking stupid._

"Gwen? Where are you?" I asked in a calmer tone of voice.

"I already told you, I'm right here!" she said.

I reached behind me and tried to get a grip on her, but I didn't feel her anywhere. She took her hand off of my eyes.

"Not there, Doofus." She said, as she turned my face so I faced her standing right next to me. " _Here_."

She pulled me into a kiss, which lasted no more than a few seconds. Once we parted, I looked at her with surprise.

"Gwen, we can't kiss right here!" I said. "Someone could have seen us!"

She just smiled.

"Kissing you is well worth the risk, Ben." She said, as she gripped my hand in hers.

She looked at me and I looked back at her. Her emerald green eyes were enchanting. So enchanting in fact, that I almost smiled. She let go of my hand and sat down, beginning to take off her shoes.

"Now come on!" She said, as she began putting on her roller skates. "Take off your shoes and put on your roller skates!"

I sighed as I sat down on the concrete padding outside of the school's main entrance. Don't think that we were absolutely alone here. Even though the busses would be leaving any minute now, there were still a few stragglers walking around outside.

I untied my shoes, as Gwen put her shoes into her backpack. I put my shoes into _my_ backpack, before I zipped it back up and put my roller skates on. I pulled the protective straps over my foot and placed against the Velcro, that way it stuck.

I put my backpack back onto my back before I stood back up and when I did, I began to wobble around on the roller skate's wheels before I regained my balance. Before I could even practice a little, Gwen took my hand, already having been standing up for a few seconds.

"Now come on, let's go!" she said, as she began to skate while still holding my hand, forcing me to skate along with her.

"Where are we going?!" I asked with surprise.

She turned her head to face me, a smile on her face.

"Wherever we want!" she said, as she turned her attention back to the sidewalk in front of us.

Her grip on my hand tightened a little bit. I hadn't seen her this happy in a long while. But it was good enough for me, so I kept my mouth shut.

 _Then_

 _Late July_

Gwen walked into our room, her eyes red from crying. I let out a sigh, as I opened up my arms for her to come lay with me on the bed. She did just that, without any hesitation.

"Okay, what's the verdict?" I asked.

She was silent for a little bit, before she finally spoke.

"The word's out on us, Ben." She said. "Ken sold us out to my mother."

"And?" I asked.

"My mother thinks that I'm a disgrace for wanting to date you." She said to me, as she rested her head against my chest. "She doesn't want anything to do with me."

"That's terrible!" I said. "And what does your dad think?"

"Daddy doesn't care about what she thinks. He thinks that it's absolutely fine that you and I are dating." She said.

"Then your dad can get you back in the house!" I said with confidence.

She shook her head.

"Probably not. Daddy said he'll try to get my mother to see things straight." She said. "But I'll probably have to move all of my stuff out of there starting next week."

I held my breath for some reason, for what seemed like ages. Eventually I let out a breath and looked down at her.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Don't be." She said.

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"Because," she said, as she looked up at me, as she grabbed my chin. "There's nowhere that'd I'd rather be than here with you."

I smiled at her as she pulled me into a kiss. We kissed for a several seconds, before pulling away from me.

"You're lucky that _my_ mom and dad aren't home." I said. "Otherwise, we couldn't do this. Also, did your mom tell my folks about us? And is so, are they cool with it?"

"Mmm, you talk too much." She said, as she scooted closer to me, putting her arms around my neck. "Come here."

We kissed again. After we pulled away, she looked at me.

"What?" she asked.

"Seriously, do my folks know about us?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes.

"If you really have to know, no, they do not know about us." She said. "My mother doesn't want anything to do with you or your family. So, she's staying out of our business over here."

"Why am I always the bad guy to your mom?" I asked.

She shrugged, before getting off of me, much to my disappointment, to sit on the edge of the bed. I did the same, taking her hand as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Where are Sunny and Albedo?" she asked me, looking at me as she did.

I thought to myself about that.

"Knowing Sunny and Albedo, they're probably out of the house, fucking in a private place because they didn't want us to hear them in the basement." I said.

"Yeah, you're probably right." She said, as she leaned her head onto my shoulder.

I gently wrapped my arm around her.

"We'll get through this together, Gwen." I said. "I promise."

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I struggled to maintain balance while I skated with Gwen, she still holding my hand tightly in hers.

"So, are we actually going anywhere or are we just skating for the hell of it?" I asked.

"We're just skating for the hell of it." She said. "Well actually, I need to stop by a convenience store to pick up a few things that I ran out of at home."

"And what's that?" I asked. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"I _do_ _mind_ you asking." She said. "And if you must know, it's just girl stuff."

I made a face as we continued skating.

"I'm sorry I asked." I said.

"You'd better be." Gwen said.

 _Then_

 _Late July_

 _Ben's House_

Gwen walked back into our room.

"Well?" I asked.

"It's official!" she said, as she lifted up her arms in excitement. "All of my boxes of clothes and things are here! So, I'm officially moved in!"

She threw her arms around me, pulling me into a hug and I embraced her.

"I'm so glad that you decided to move in with us!" I whispered into her ear. "No matter what your mother ever tells you, you'll always be welcome here! I promise!"

She hugged me even tighter after that and that made me feel good about myself. I could have stayed with her like that forever, but just then we were interrupted.

"Hey kids, can you come in here?" Dad called from the living room. "Ben, your mother and I have something that we need to tell you."

"Um, yeah! We'll be in there in a second!" I called back.

I didn't hear Dad answer, but I did hear his steps depart, before calling downstairs to Albedo and Sunny to do the same. Gwen and I pulled apart.

"What do you suppose that is all about?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"Let's go find out." I said, as I walked out of the room.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

Gwen came out of the convenience store, carrying a bag which looked like it wasn't all that full.

"So uh, what's in the bag?" I asked from where I was standing, leaning against a street light.

"I told you, girl stuff." She said. "I also told you not to ask."

I shrugged.

"You have to understand that I'm curious about what my girlfriend's been buying." I said.

She nodded.

"I do, but that's why I ask you to trust _me_." She said. "Besides, isn't rude to go through a girl's things?"

"But I never said anything about going through your things!" I said.

"I know you didn't, I was just trying to… You know what? We're not doing this." She said, as she brought her backpack around and put her plastic bag in there, before zipping it closed again. "We're not arguing. Come on, let's just go."

She skated over to me and took my hand. She tugged me along, forcing me to skate along with her.

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"Wherever the winds take us!" Gwen exclaimed, as she began to skate faster, as did I.

We skated all throughout Downtown Bellwood for the next hour or so. Eventually we came to a park and began to skate down the sidewalks of the park. While skating on the sidewalks, we skated past a pond.

"Look!" Gwen pointed at the pond with her free hand. "That's the pond where Kevin froze Animo!"

"Yeah. Heh. Good times." I said.

 _You may be thinking that I'd be a little salty about anyone mentioning Kevin or even saying Kevin's name, as Gwen just did. But in all honestly, I was pretty chill about it! I had moved past that. As of now, I was slowly making my way through the Five Stages of Grief. And to me, I hadn't even gotten past stage one, Denial, yet._

Speaking of Savage Animo, he obviously wasn't at the bottom of a pond anymore. So where was he now? Kevin was right. S.E.C.T. came before he could thaw out and drilled into the ice, while making sure it stayed frozen using advanced weather generating systems, they drilled a complete circle, until the pulled him out and got him onto one of their ships.

And the last I heard of Director Steel, they were keeping Savage Animo in cryo stasis until they could create an antidote for the serum he took decades ago. Once they have the cure, they'll partially wake him and inject him with the antidote, so he'll revert to his human form.

After that, they plan on putting him behind bars, that way he'll never be able to craft another serum to allow himself to mutate again and so he can't conduct anymore experiments. Speaking of Director Steel, he's an asshole! He didn't even come to his own son's funeral! How cold-hearted can you be?

In the midst of thinking to myself, I lost my balance and went tumbling down, bringing Gwen down with me. I expected her to get hurt from the fall, but it was quite the opposite. She laughed the whole way down and so did I.

 _This is the first time that I've laughed in months!_

I landed on the ground on my back and she landed directly on top of me. We continued to laugh, until we realized what situation we were in. Our laughing ceased and we just stared into each other's eyes. And then, she took my hand and we kissed.

We kissed for several seconds before we both pulled apart. Instead of getting up like we _should have_ , we just continued to lie there, lovingly gazing at one another. I finally broke the silence and spoke.

"Look, it's going to start snowing soon and I'd like to get home before it gets bad out." I said. "Can we go to the cemetery now?"

Gwen nodded without even hesitating, as she got up and reached her hand out for me to take. I gladly took it and she pulled me up. While I was coming back up, she almost fell backwards herself. Luckily, I fully stood back up as she was about to fall over and she grabbed my hand, before pressing herself against my chest to keep herself from falling.

Her arms snaked around to my back and it became a hug instead of just her holding onto me. I had no problem with it, so I hugged her back.

"Let's go." She whispered into my ear, before she took my hand and pulled away from me.

 _Twenty Minutes Later_

I stood in front of Kevin's grave, not sure of what to say. Gwen stood a few feet behind me, hugging herself as it was beginning to get colder. We had put our tennis shoes back on and had strapped our roller skates to our backpacks.

"Hey Kevin, it's been a while, hasn't it bud?" I asked out loud.

I didn't get an answer. Shocker. I looked down as I let out a sigh.

"Look, I'm sorry still about what happened to you." I said.

Silence.

"Nothing will bring you back and nothing will make me not feel guilty about your death, bro." I said. "I just wish that… I just wish that… I just wish… I just…"

I stopped as I began to cry again. I heard a footstep or two behind me.

"Ben? I know that he was your best friend, but it's been four months." Gwen said from behind me. "I think it's time to at least try moving on, don't you?"

I said nothing. I wasn't mad or anything. In fact, she was right. It _was_ time for me to move on. I owed it to myself and I've been neglecting my ability to move on, by not doing so. And the only way that I could begin to escape this is to let them in on the secret. I couldn't keep it to myself anymore.

"Ben?" she called my name.

"I'm not crying over Kevin anymore." I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Gwen, do me a favor and call Sunny and Albedo." I said. "Tell them to get up here. They're going to want to hear this."

A few seconds of silence passed. Eventually, she finally spoke.

"Sure." She said in confused tone, as she walked away from me.

 _Then_

 _Late July_

Gwen and I walked into the living room, where Mom was sitting on the couch, with her eyes closed. Dad was just standing up by the one person love seat.

"So, what's up?" I asked.

"Wait for the others to get up here." Dad said.

"Um, okay?" I asked in a confused tone.

I turned to Gwen.

 _Why do I not like this?_ I mouthed to her.

She shrugged. Albedo and Sunny came through the doorway to the hallway leading to the basement, holding hands. When they saw everyone, they let go of one another's hands.

 _They are so ridiculous. Everyone knows that they are in love. So why are they trying to hide it?_

"Um, what's this about?" Albedo asked.

I shrugged at him. Dad turned to him.

"Look, we're letting you and Sunny live here because you have nowhere else to go. We're also letting you live here free of charge and because Ben sees you as a brother." He said. "All I ask of you right now is what my wife has to say."

"Yes, Mr. T." Albedo replied in return.

Dad chuckled when Albedo that, as he turned back to look at Mom.

"Mr. T? Please, just call me Carl." He said. "Sandra, do you want to take this?"

Mom opened her eyes and looked at all of us.

"Kids, you might want to sit down for this." She said.

Sunny sat down in the rocking chair that sat across the room, opposite the single person love seat. Albedo sat down too, but he sat down next to Sunny, pressing his back up against the wooden frame of the rocking chair.

"I'll stand." I said.

Gwen didn't sit down, so I was guessing that she was going to stand, too.

"Suit yourself." Mom said.

And then, there was just silence. No one said a word.

"Um, Ms. T?" Albedo asked. "What is this about?"

Mom came out of her trance, as she shook her head.

"Oh, right. Sorry about that, I'm just thinking about how I'm going to say this." She said. "Um, you see, this is going to be a very big household."

I nodded.

"Right, especially when you consider the fact that Sunny and Albedo want to go to school with Gwen and I. And we still need to get them Social Security Cards, Birth Certificates, some form of identification, even if it is just fake; because as of right now, they technically don't even exist, publicly at least." I said, before I turned to Albedo. "Also, I'm still working on how we're going to be able to change your appearance."

He nodded at me.

"Ben, we're on top of it." Dad said. "But that's not what your mother is talking about."

"Then what is she talking about?" I asked, as I shrugged my shoulders.

Mom looked at me with what looked like a worried look in her eyes.

"Ben, a few months just before we left for Vegas, you asked me if you were going to have any baby brothers or sisters running around any time soon." She said.

"Um, right?" I asked. "Wait, do you-"

 _She doesn't mean…_

A chill went down my spine for some reason, as she closed her eyes and nodded. She opened her eyes again a few seconds later and looked at all of us.

"I'm pregnant." She said.

The words shook me to my core. For some reason I felt like I was dreaming at this point, but I knew that I wasn't. I wanted to speak, but I didn't know what to say.

"What did you just say?" Sunny asked.

"I'm pregnant." Mom said in a louder tone, so anyone in the room could have heard it.

I looked up at Mom and Dad and finally spoke.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"Since March." Mom said.

"Since March?" I asked. "You've known since March and you didn't even tell me?"

"Ben, we didn't know how to say it!" Dad said. "Your mother and I, we weren't being careful. It just sort of happened. And we didn't know how to tell you."

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless, again.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Albedo asked. "Do you guys know yet?"

"We do." Mom said. "It's a girl. We're going to have a baby girl."

That shocked me even more. Girls weren't all that common in my family; at least I didn't think they were.

"Ben, you're going to have a baby sister." Mom said. "Do you have anything to say? Any questions, maybe?"

I looked up at them again.

"When is she due?" I asked.

"In December, around your birthday." Dad answered for Mom this time.

I looked down at the floor again.

"Oh my God." I said. "Oh my God."

"Ben? Are you alright, honey?" Mom asked.

"Oh my God, this is so cool!" I exclaimed, as I looked at them, wiping a few tears from my eyes. "I'm going to have baby sister!"

A reassured look appeared on my Mom's face; as if this is the response she was hoping for. Or at least a very positive reaction, that is. I looked at Gwen, as I got onto my knees in front of her. I took her head in my hands as I began to speak.

"Did you hear that?" I asked her. "I'm gonna have a baby sister!"

"Yes, I heard." She said.

"Oh my God." I said, as I put my face into her shoulder, as I began to cry what seemed like tears of joy. "I'm going to have a baby sister!"

 _I'm going to have a baby sister._

Out of the corner of my eye, I could just see Mom and Dad looking at each other, with looks of approval on their faces, as if they were glad that their surprise was taken positively.

 _This was more than just a surprise. This could be a blessing in disguise from God!_

 _Now_

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Mid-November_

 _Bellwood Cemetery_

Albedo and Sunny had arrived. I heard them greet Gwen behind me and then Albedo walked up behind me, stopping at a foot or so behind me.

"Okay Ben, we're here." He said. "Sunny and I were doing… something fun. This better be worth-"

"I don't care what you and Sunny were doing." I said.

"Okay. So why did you call us here, exactly?" he asked.

"Everyone, come closer please." I said. "I want all of you to hear this."

They all did as I said. Albedo came around to my right side and Sunny followed him, stopping beside him. And Gwen came over and stood by my left side. I was silent for a while, as I looked at Kevin's gravestone.

"Ben?" Sunny asked my name with caution.

They were ready. They were ready to hear what I had been keeping from them and I was finally ready to talk about it. I wasted no time in getting to the point.

"This is what Professor Paradox warned me about." I said out loud, loud enough for all of them to hear.

Everyone was silent after that. It seemed that no one had the guts to say a word. Eventually, Albedo finally spoke.

"Um, what?" he asked.

I turned around to face all of them.

"That's what Professor Paradox whispered to me." I said.

"Um, whispered what exactly?" Gwen asked.

I looked at all of them. They all looked confused.

"Well…"

 _Then_

 _Late June_

 _Vilgax's Tower, Bellwood Ruins_

I sighed, as I looked down at the floor. The room was completely empty now. It was just me and Professor Paradox, who still lingered in the background.

All of a sudden, I heard the taps of his shoes as he walked up behind me. I turned around to face him, as he walked up to me with his Time Staff still in hand. I nodded at him and he did the same in a respectful manner.

"I've been hearing things about you." He said. "Quite a few people are grateful for the decision you made."

"Old Man Ben lost his Gwen many years ago." I said. "He wouldn't have survived without her. I just wanted to return to him what he had lost."

"And I respect you for making that decision." He said.

"Well, it was more you than me." I said. "You had the power to bring her back."

"No. I insist it was you. After all, you made the decision to do so." He said.

I nodded. He was right about that.

"I'm grateful that you brought her back for him." I said.

He looked at me with a sad look.

"The time will come when you won't be." He said.

I looked at him with confusion. He let go of his staff and it floated in mid-air. He stepped forward, pulled me close to him and whispered into my ear.

"Nothing is free, Ben; everything comes with a price." He said into my ear. "In choosing to have Old Man Ben's Gwen brought back from the dead, you willingly gave up another life for hers. Your friend, Kevin Levin, from your universe. It's an eye for an eye."

Once he had whispered what he had to say and had taken his Staff back, I looked at him in confusion.

"What?" I asked in shock and disbelief.

Paradox just winked, before disappearing into thin air, taking his Staff with him. I was now alone, in a cold, dark room.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for the chapter! What do you guys think? What did you think of all of the flashbacks, while Ben and Gwen skated through the city?

* Ken has accepted the fact that Ben and Gwen are dating and in fact, has encouraged them to keep doing so. Speaking of their dating Ben's parents are cool with it, while Gwen's parents are mixed on the regard, forcing Gwen to move in with Ben full time. What do you think of that? What do you think of the revelation that Ben's mom is pregnant, and that Ben will be having a little sister?

* So, it's finally been revealed what Paradox said to Ben that day. Paradox knew that Kevin would die and considered that a trade. Do you think it's harsh what he said? Keep in mind that he's neither good nor bad; he's a neutral character, so he really doesn't care what happens as long as he does his job.

* I just want to say ahead of time that this will be the last update that you guys will see from me for a while. The laptop that I'm using to write this is absolute garbage and I already need another replacement. I can't even unplug it from it's charger without it dying all together. I'll be getting a new computer on August 4th, or a few days after that. And I'll start working again after that, so maybe August 12th or 13th is when I'll start being able to post again.

* And college classes start the 22nd for me, so then updates will become a little rarer, but I'll keep posting. Posts are going away. Well, except for today through the 12th or 13th. Until then, I'll be inactive. Anyway, that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses:**_

 _jasongd: Great first chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thank you for your feedback, jasongd. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter.

 _Sishen123: This is that part i actually look forward to in movies, when you realize there aren't always happy endings even if people think that a character deserves it or not. I personal like a tear jerking story i actually hate it when they pretend it didn't happen. A hero mist suffer loss to be a hero so he knows what it takes to protect other's._

 _Another thing i hate is when the hero does something that he should never in any reality or instantly come back from and then it's like yippee look he's ok. But yeah thanks for not keeping the stereotypes where heros always win without heavy loss. Also yes i know its not a stereotype in comic books but it is in most movies. But as always love the story peace out :)_

Thanks for the feedback Sishen; I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. Yeah, I don't like that stereotype either. That's really why I'm doing this arc, because it's more drama instead of action. And the arc after next is a drama too, just saying.

But I am also a believer that heroes have to have some defeats and get beaten up in between of their wins. If they win every fight, to me, the stories just get stale. To me, it's entertaining if they have their losses and their setbacks. It mixes it up a little. Thanks for your feedback!

 _csgt: Ouch, painful to see how broken Ben is with Kevin's death. After everything Kevin did, he still died a hero, and Ben is clearly feeling guilty for not being able to save Kevin. Funny that Gwen's alarm is a song played on the Walking Dead XD_

 _I'm a little surprised that Ben and Gwen are sleeping on the same bed, and Ben's parents don't seem to mind. Do they know everything and accept it? And Gwen lives with Ben, and Gwen's parents don't mind? I think all will be explained later though. I'll be waiting for more! Great start._

Yes, Ben obviously feels guilty about not being able to do anything to save Kevin. It's taking it's toll on him and he will be pushing the blame onto others in the future. Yes, that was obviously a Walking Dead reference. About the whole Ben and Gwen thing, all of that was explained in this chapter. Gwen's father is okay with it, but Gwen's mother is _NOT_ okay with it.

As harsh as it may sound, her own mother has basically disowned her and Gwen's dad wasn't able to talk her into seeing their relationship through. Obviously, it will take a while for more, but it'll come eventually.

Next Chapter: Ben and Co. head home to prepare for the coming storm, where Ben's parents announce that they know they're dating. Ben begins to feel like he's being watched.


	3. Chapter 78: Alien Guy No More: Part 3

Chapter 78: Alien Guy No More: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Three of Volume Two!

* So this chapter will focus on preparations for the coming blizzard. I can't say anything else, so let's get right into it!

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Bellwood Cemetery_

I looked down at the dying grass, as a lone tear rolled down my cheek.

"Um, what?" Albedo asked.

I looked back up at them.

"Kevin is dead because of Paradox." I said.

"No! Kevin's death was an accident Ben, it wasn't fate." Sunny said. "It was an accident!"

"Look, I know what I'm talking about." I said, as I turned to face her.

"And I don't?" she asked.

"That's not what I said." I replied in defense.

"But it's what you're implying, isn't it?" she asked.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Albedo walked over to us and broke attempted to break up the argument.

"Sunny, he wasn't trying to insult you." He said.

"Yes, he was." Sunny said.

"No, he wasn't." Albedo repeated himself.

"Yes, he-"

"Enough!" Gwen exclaimed with irritation. "Everyone just stop! Stop arguing! You're making me angry!"

We all looked at her and her expression softened.

"That's better." She said. "Now, I think it's about time to get back home. We need to get home before it gets bad and it's already starting to snow. Let's go."

I looked around and realized that she was right. It was just beginning to snow heavily and it was only three o'clock. And we had been let out of school at around 12:45, so if it was just now starting to snow, who knows how bad it would get later tonight?

We all walked towards the cemetery's gates, where Gwen's car waited outside. That's how Sunny and Albedo got here. Gwen told them to bring her car up here, because she didn't want to skate back home in this mess.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Ben's House_

Once we got home, I noticed that the ground had accumulated at least a inch or two of snow.

"We better get inside." I said, as I got out of the backseat. "Mom and Dad are probably wondering where we've been."

I walked up to the front door, as Gwen and the rest of them got out of the car. I took my key chain off of my jeans and unlocked the front door. I stepped inside and took off my backpack, placing it down by the rocking chair. I hadn't even been in the house for a minute, when my Mom came out of the kitchen, with a worried look on her face.

"Where have you been?!" she said, once she saw me.

I looked down with guilt, as I began scratching the back of my neck. I looked back up at her; she had her hands on her hips with impatience. I sighed.

"Gwen and I went roller skating through downtown." I said.

Speaking of Gwen, just then, she, along with Albedo and Sunny came walking through the door. Mom looked at them.

"I've been so worried about you guys and you were just messing around the whole time?!" she said.

"Well, we went up to the cemetery for a while." Gwen admitted. "I called Albedo and Sunny and told them to come get us."

"You see? At least Sunny and Albedo are responsible!" Mom said. "They actually came home after school today!"

 _Is she really lecturing me on responsibility right now?_

"Well, we're home now, aren't we?" I asked.

"Yes, you are." Dad said, as he walked into view from the hall to the basement stairs. "Look Ben, I know that you and Gwen are dating, but you can't just go off somewhere without notice!"

 _They know about us?!_

"You know about Gwen and I dating?" I asked.

"Yes, we do." Mom said.

"And you're okay with it?" I asked.

"Of course we are, why wouldn't we be?" Dad said. "It's good that you've finally found a person that you really like to spend time with. Gwen is certainly better for you than that Kai girl was."

"But we're cousins!" I said. "And you guys are cool with that, unlike Gwen's mother?"

"Ben honey, Gwen's mother just doesn't understand. Her father luckily does and manages to keep her from bringing Gwen back home and never letting her leave." Mom said.

"Mmm-Hmm. And cousins or not, what does it matter?" Dad asked. "All that matters is that you've found someone you like spending time with, as I already said."

"Oh, well okay." I said. "In that case, we're going to go watch T.V. downstairs."

"No, you're not." Mom said.

"But if you're cool with Gwen and I dating, I want to hang out with her more!" I said.

"You can hang out with her later. Right now, you and Albedo are going to help your father prepare for the blizzard." Mom said.

"Why can't Gwen help me with that?" I asked.

"Because she and Sunny are going to help me make dinner." She said.

Albedo and I exchanged glances, and then looked at the girls.

"Lucky." We said in unison.

"How are we lucky?" Sunny asked.

"Yeah, I don't want to help make dinner!" Gwen said.

"You're lucky because I don't want to help Dad with whatever preparations he has in mind." I said.

"We agree." Albedo said.

"Hoo-wah!" we both exclaimed, as we high fived each other.

"Since when are you two in the army?" Gwen asked.

"We're not in the army, it's our secret handshake!" Albedo exclaimed. "Don't you guys have a secret handshake?"

"Um yeah, you bet. You want to see it?" Sunny asked.

"Yeah, I do!" Albedo exclaimed.

Sunny made two fists, and put one of them next to the other. Then she began making a weird motion with one hand, as if she were winding up her other fist. That's when I saw her middle finger slowly began to rise, until it stood all the way up, pointing at the ceiling.

She then shot us an apologetic look.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't know how this machine worked!"

"Nice Guardians of the Galaxy reference." I said.

"Thanks." Sunny said in return.

 _In all honesty, Sunny and I had gotten better with each other. I was beginning to tolerate her a little._

"Alright everyone, time to get to work." Mom said. "Girls, in the kitchen with me. Boys, go downstairs and see what you can do to help your father."

Albedo and I groaned, as we walked towards the basement stairs.

"This is bullshit, dude." I said, as Albedo walked to the stairs ahead of me.

"I know, right?" he asked in return.

"I mean, why can't we get just one personal day?" I asked.

"Ben, you've been on a personal day for the last four months." Albedo said. "Since the day that you gave up the-"

"We don't talk about that anymore." I said to him, interrupting.

"Oh, right. Sorry." He said, as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

We walked into the laundry/storage room, where Dad was busy at work.

"Um, Dad?" I called out. "You wanted our help?"

"Hello, boys!" he said, as he came into view after digging around in a tote. "Yes, I did want your help."

"Okay, what do you want us to do, Mr. T?" Albedo asked.

"Albedo, I told you to call me Carl or to call me Dad!" Dad said. "I told you that I don't like to be called "Mr. T"!"

"I wonder if it has anything to do with the rapper." Albedo whispered to me.

We both burst out laughing after he whispered that to me.

"Hoo-wah!" we both exclaimed, as we high-fived each other.

"What's so funny?" Dad asked.

"Nothing. Sorry, Mr. -, I mean, Carl." Albedo said, fumbling with his words.

"Nice save." I said.

"Hey now." He said. "Don't make me open a can of whoop-ass."

"Anyway, it's going to get cold tonight, so I need you boys to go put at least one extra comforter on every bed in the house." He said. "And once that's done, if we have any extra quilts or blankets, we'll throw one of each on every bed, too. Now get a move on!"

He handed us a folded up comforter. After that, we headed off towards Sunny and Albedo's room that had been set up in the basement. Their room had been set up where my lab used to be. When I gave up the Omnitrix and Alien Guy, I gave up the lab, too. So that provided perfect space for them to live, rather than having them sleep on the pull out couch every night.

We opened the door to their room and walked in. Albedo and I both each took one corner of the comforter and began to cover up the comforter below it. As we worked, Albedo spoke up.

"Hey man, don't you think it's sad about Sunny?" he asked.

"What's sad about Sunny?" I asked.

"You know! How your Mom can do it, but Sunny can't!" he said. "Come on, you have to remember that!"

"Oh, yeah. _Soooo_ sad." I said.

"Just don't let Sunny know that we're talking about it." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Dude, she get's depressed even if someone whispers about it. The first time I mentioned it to her and she revealed to me, that you know, she can't, she just held me as she cried about it." He said. "It puts her out of any kind of mood and when that happens, she usually just clings to me while she sleeps, leaving me awake and you know, aroused."

"Oh, damn dude." I said. "I'm sorry about that."

"Yeah." He said. "Have you and Gwen d-"

"Nope. Let's not even go there." I said.

"Okay, that's fine." He said, as he held up his hands in defense.

"Come on; let's get the rest of this done." I said, as I left their room.

 _Half an Hour Later_

So, we had put an extra comforter on every bed, along with a quilt or blanket. After that, we helped Dad carry up the emergency first aid kits, as well as the food rations. This blizzard that was coming must have been big, if we were going to need all of that. Next, Albedo and I carried up a box of candles and put at least two in each room, just in case of a power failure, we'd still have a little light.

But that was pretty much it, in terms of preparations. Or so, I thought. Albedo and I headed into the kitchen, intent on getting a snack.

"I need something to eat!" I exclaimed, as I walked into the kitchen.

"Must consume something, anything!" Albedo said, as he walked in behind me.

Before we could even get to the fridge, Sunny slid over in front of it, blocking us from it.

"Oh no, you don't!" she said. "Your mom told us that the fridge is off limits! Emergencies only!"

"That is so bull! I'm hungry!" I said.

"You can wait until dinner is done." Mom said, from her place at the sink.

"What's for dinner?" I asked.

"Stew. Piping hot, hearty stew." Mom said. "It'll be good to have a meal that can warm you up."

"Mom, what if this blizzard is, you know, not even a thing?" I asked.

"Are you a meteorologist?" Gwen asked.

"Um, no?" I asked.

"Case closed then." Sunny said, as she turned to face me. "Your argument is invalid."

Just then, Dad came in through the doorway to the hallway to the stairs.

"Hey fellas, sorry to interrupt, but I need another favor." He said.

We both turned to face him.

"I need you boys to go out and chop firewood in the backyard." He said. "If the power goes out, we're going to need to use our fireplace, for obvious reasons."

Albedo and I exchanged glances, before we both let out disappointed sighs.

"Alright, we'll get right on that." I said.

"Thanks." Dad said, as he left the room.

"Girls, you can take over for a minute." Mom said, as she headed towards the living room. "I need to take a break."

"Don't sweat it, Aunt Sandra." Gwen said. "We got it."

Once Mom was gone, I snuck up behind Gwen and gently gripped the back of her head.

"Wha-" was all she could say as I turned her head to face me, so that I could kiss her.

She kissed me back for about a few seconds, before she forcefully pulled away.

"Ben, not while I'm cooking!" she exclaimed, as she turned her head back to the pot full of beef stew.

"But it's just not fair!" I said. "I want to spend time with you!"

"Not right now!" she said.

"Why?" I asked.

Just then, I felt Albedo get his arms underneath mine and he curled his forearms over my shoulders, that way he could easily pull me away from Gwen.

"Come on, you. We have work to do." He said.

I began laughing and fake crying as he dragged me away.

"I don't want to go, I don't want to go!" I exclaimed. "Sunny, stop this man!"

All Sunny did was just chuckle, as I continued to get dragged away, across the kitchen tile and living room carpet. I had to admit, that I haven't had this much fun in a long time.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

Albedo and I were out in the backyard, almost finished chopping wood. We had about three stacks of wood, which consisted of at least six two or three feet long logs, all stacked up to at least five levels.

The snow had also accumulated quite a bit. There was now at least a foot of snow on the ground. Albedo and I were both wearing jackets. Well, he was wearing one of my jackets. In fact, as weird as it may sound, we shared a wardrobe. Mom and Dad were focused on stockpiling supplies for when the new baby is born, so I have to share my clothes with Albedo.

The same went for Sunny and Gwen. Gwen shared her clothes with Sunny. Dad said that once the new baby is born next month, they'll be able to start improving Sunny and Albedo's living conditions. I know that it probably sounds weird, but that's the truth.

"So, do you think we're going to get power outage?" Albedo asked, as he chopped another small log in half.

"No. No, I do not." I said. "I think that this whole blizzard thing is just a hoax."

"And that's what you believe? Really?" he asked.

I nodded.

Just then the back door opened and Dad stepped out.

"Alright boys, that'll do." He said. "Just chop a few more and bring all of that inside."

"Okay." We both said, before he closed the door.

Once the door had been shut, Albedo looked at me.

"Hey, I want to go take a breather." He said. "Are you cool with finishing this up by yourself?"

"Yeah, you go on ahead." I said. "Besides, I want some time to myself for a few minutes."

"Okay. I'll see you inside." Albedo said, as he went and put his axe back into the tool chest that say by the door.

"Yep." I said, as I heard the door open and close.

I went back to chopping wood for a few minutes, until I thought I heard something over the sound of the wind. I looked up and across the yard, just over our fence; I saw the bushes rustling a little.

I was confused. I dropped the axe and began to walk towards the fence line. But it was only when I saw halfway there that I stopped walking. I felt sick to my stomach now. No, I seriously felt like I was going to be sick. I felt as though if I walked any further that I would seriously die. So, I didn't walk any further.

I turned back around and walked back towards the door. I starting piling up the logs in my arms and walked to the door, not wanting to be outside any longer for some reason.

 _Two Hours Later_

We all sat in the living room, eating dinner as we watched T.V. Gwen and I sat next to each other on one side of the room, while Albedo and Sunny sat together on the other side of the room.

The stew was good, I had to admit. It was very warm, but we had the heat on in the house, so it wasn't really noticeable. All of the preparations were done, so after dinner there wasn't really anything left to do. All that we would do is probably just chill out until bed time.

And then it happened. The power went out. Most of everyone let out a gasp of shock once the entire house went dark. Albedo must have seen an opportunity to make a joke, because he did just that.

"Who didn't pay the electric bill?" he asked.

No one said anything.

"No, that's not funny?" he asked. "Jeez, sorry I tried to joke around."

Dad turned on his flashlight and shined it up to his face so that we could see him.

"I'll go see I can get the power on somehow." He said, as he moved to the coat closet and opened it, taking out his winter coat and putting it on. "I'll be right back."

He put on his boots and opened the front door, walked out and closed it behind him.

"Well, I suppose dinner is over then." Mom said. "Everyone finish up your bowls of stew and bring them into the kitchen."

Mom got up from the couch and slowly made her way to the kitchen through the dark house. Albedo and Sunny finished their stew and left the room a minute or two later. Gwen finished hers a bit after that and got up.

"Hey, will you take mine?" I asked handing her my bowl. "I don't really feel like finishing."

"Sure. I'll be right back." She said, as she kissed my cheek before leaving the room, leaving me all alone now.

I got up and walked around the dark living room for a minute or two. I eventually came to stop by the living room window. And that's when I saw it. I could have sworn I saw two eyes, glowing pale green outside of the window.

I got closer, to make sure that I wasn't just seeing things. I stepped closer to the window and began to stare at the figure outside of the window. Then something frankly scary happened. The figure slammed it's hand against the glass, causing me to fall over out of fear.

I hurried to get back up and look back at the window, but the figure was no longer there. I ran to the door and threw it open, stepping outside without a second thought.

"Dad!" I called with worry.

I walked out into the snow without hesitation and to where the window was. The figure was gone and there were no footprints, except for two right outside the window. There wasn't any trail of footprints.

"Yes, Ben?" I heard Dad say, as he walked up to me from out of the dark.

I decided not to tell anyone about what I had seen; as there was no proof that I saw anything.

"Can you get the power back on?" I asked.

He shook his head, as he shined his flashlight up to his face.

"No. The wires have been cut." He said. "We won't be having power for a while. Now come on, let's get inside and out of this cold weather."

 _One Hour Later_

Gwen and I sat huddled next to each other, under the warmth of an extra blanket. Everyone had an extra blanket wrapped around them. Albedo and Sunny shared one, while Mom and Dad shared one, too.

We had a fireplace going, but even with that it was still a bit on the chilly side in the room. We were all talking silently amongst each other, but generally no one had anything to say otherwise. Eventually, my father got up, yawning as he did.

"All right everyone, time for bed!" he said. "We all need to get to bed early; we're going to have a busy day tomorrow! We need to shovel the driveway, in case we need to go anywhere, among other things."

We all said our good nights, before retiring to our rooms for the night. I went to tell Albedo good night, while Gwen went to our room first.

"Good night, bro." I said to Albedo, as I walked to him.

"Good night, bro." he repeated what I had said to him.

We left each other there and I went to our room, where Gwen waited. I entered the dark room and called out her name.

"Gwen?" I silently called out.

"I'm right here, Doofus." She said, as I now saw her, illuminated by the candle that she was lighting.

"Oh, there you are." I said, as I closed the door behind me. "I didn't see you at first."

"Well no duh, you didn't see me!" she said. "The room was completely dark."

"Right." I said, as she moved to the night stand by the bed, placing the lit candle on it.

I took my phone out of my pocket and placed it on top of the side table that sat next to our window and she did the same. I moved to the bed and pulled the covers back and laid down, still fully clothed.

"Are you really going to go to sleep like that?" Gwen asked, shooting me a quizzical look.

"Of course not, I'm just getting comfortable." I said. "I'm going to put pajamas on."

"Well can you do that now?" Gwen asked. "I want to cuddle."

"Well, we can do that fully clothed." I said.

"Yeah, but I'd prefer to fall asleep cuddling." Gwen said.

"Fine. I'll get up and get my pajamas on." I said.

I got up and opened one of my drawers on my dresser. Then, I heard the sound of something hit the floor. I turned around, to see Gwen had thrown the sweater that she had been wearing onto the floor and she was beginning to undress. She noticed me looking at her and I could tell that she must have been blushing.

"Do you mind?" she quietly asked me.

"Sorry." I said, as I turned around and went back to getting my pajamas out.

I pulled my shirt off and threw it onto the floor. A minute or so later, Gwen spoke again.

"Okay, you can look now." She said.

I don't know why, but she spoke it what sounded like a nervous tone.

"Okay, I-" I began to speak as I turned around, but stopped with shock once I saw her.

She was completely naked. No, this wasn't a joke. She was completely, stark naked. No underwear, no nothing. She wasn't even attempting to cover herself up. My jaw dropped.

"Well?" she asked, as she slowly spun around. "What do you think?"

"What do I think?" I asked. "What is going on right now?"

"I know a way that we can keep warm." She said.

"And how is that?" I asked in a nervous tone myself.

"Just take off your clothes. All of them. And lay down under the covers for me." She whispered to me.

Less than a minute later, I was naked too and was lying under the covers. Eventually, she got on top of me, causing me to gasp with shock at how cold she was. That's when I noticed a small, flat, circular object in her hand. And it dawned on me what it was.

"Is that a condom?" I asked in a nervous tone.

She nodded.

"What? Where did you-" I spoke, before cutting myself off. "It was the convenience store, wasn't it?"

She nodded once more.

"I thought that you went in for girl stuff?" I asked. "You lied to me!"

She shook her head.

"I did go in for girl stuff." She said, as she ripped open the plastic wrap that the um, you know, was wrapped in. "But I knew that we would need to do… something if the blizzard got bad enough."

"But I thought we were going to cuddle?" I asked.

"Oh, we are." She said. " _After_."

"Why am I nervous?" I asked. "How can you want to do this?"

"I thought you took Biology, Ben?" she whispered. "I thought that you knew how the body works when you, do, you know…"

"I do." I said, gasping as she slipped the thing onto me. "But you're comfortable with doing this?"

"What other choice do we have?" Gwen asked. "It'll warm us up!"

"The blankets could have done that!" I protested.

Gwen blew out the candle, before pulling the covers up and over her back.

"Just shut up and hold me, Doofus." She said.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for the chapter! What do you guys think?

* Anyone like that Guardians reference? What do you think is going on with the figure that Ben saw outside of the window? Do you think he was just seeing things, or do you think whatever it was, was really there? And finally, what did you guys think of that ending?

*Anyway, that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses:**_

 _jasongd: And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thank you jasongd, I'm glad you're enjoying Volume Two so far. Thanks for the feedback!

 _Sishen123: Its a good chapter i just don't have much to say about it as i just see it as some what of a reprieve from the sadness. And girl things? That could just mean its her time of the month but first i gotta ask have they had sexy yet themselves and if so i have another guess ats whats in the bag that qualifies as girl stuff that might just scare the shit out of ben. As always cant wait for more peace out :)_

Okay, first off, you're right. The chapter was mainly a reprieve/break from the sadness. I want some happiness here and there, I don't want the entire start of this new volume to be sad vibes, because I'd feel like that it would get old.

Obviously, Ben will become Alien Guy again at some point and that's not a spoiler. If anyone doesn't think that Ben won't become Alien Guy again, that he's done for good, I don't quite understand your thought process. I mean, not to dis my own story, but if Ben is never Alien Guy again, why read this story? It'd be boring. At least from my point of view.

Anyway, moving on with your review, she was just using "girl stuff" as an excuse to go the convenience store. And as to have they had sex yet themselves? Well, I suppose that this chapter provided an answer, that no, this was their first time. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for the feedback!

Next Chapter: Ben receives bad news from Sunny and Albedo at breakfast. A new threat begins to reveal itself within the city, causing Ben to experience a few regrets about giving up the Omnitrix.


	4. Chapter 79: Alien Guy No More: Part 4

Chapter 79: Alien Guy No More: Part Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Four, technically Chapter Seventy Nine in the current chapter run, but whatever.

* So, this chapter contains a few more shocks, just saying. I'm not saying anything else, my lips are sealed. Let's get right down into it!

 _Now_

 _The Next Morning_

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

I woke up the next morning, with Gwen's naked form resting on top of me. My sudden movement woke her up. She looked up at me and smiled lovingly at me.

"Hey, you." She said, as she kissed me.

I eagerly accepted the kiss and pulled her close to me, so our bodies pressed against each other, but harder. Eventually she pulled away to catch her breath.

"Did you enjoy last night?" she whispered to me, as she touched noses with me.

"Maybe." I responded, as I stared into her eyes.

She just chuckled.

"I thought that you would." She said to me.

I could have stared into those magnificent eyes forever, but just then, we were interrupted. There was a knock at the door.

"Okay children, time to get up!" Mom called from the other side of the door. "We have a busy day today!"

Gwen and I looked at each other with worry and surprise, as we rushed to get out of bed.

"And hurry up, we're not paying you by the hour!" she joked from the other side of the door. "Dad set up the cover out in the backyard, so that he could make scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage on the skillet! Hurry it up, breakfast is piping hot!"

Once I heard the footsteps fading away from the door, I turned to Gwen.

"No need for sausages, I think you _had_ a sausage last night!" I whispered to her.

She blushed a bright red.

"Don't say that!" she whispered to me.

"What? It's funny!" I said back.

"No, it's not!" she said. "Now take that thing off!"

I looked down and blushed myself.

"Oh, right." I said, as I removed the uh, you know.

I pulled on my boxers and the pajama pants that I was going to wear last night. Gwen put her underwear back on, much to my disappointment. Out of nowhere, she pressed herself against me and kissed me.

"Now, come on. Let's hurry up." She said, after pulling away. "They won't wait for us forever and if we take too long, they may get a little suspicious."

I nodded, as she pulled away and we continued to get dressed.

 _Then_

 _Early August_

 _Ben's House_

As I sat in the living room, I heard a knock on the door. I got up from the couch and walked over to the door.

"I'll get it." I said, as I unlocked the door.

I opened it and I saw Director Steel of S.E.C.T. standing outside. My eyes widened upon seeing him, before I stepped outside with him and closed the front door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in an angry tone.

"I just want to check in with you." He said in a calm tone. "I've received word that you've given up the Omnitrix. Can I ask you why?"

"Seriously? This is why you're here?" I asked. "To ask me why I've given up the Omnitrix? We're not talking. I'm going back inside."

I turned around, but I felt his hand touch my shoulder.

"Look kid, for whatever reason you quit, you just can't." he said. "The Omnitrix is a powerful weapon and it can't be allowed to fall in the wrong hands."

I stopped in my tracks. I eventually turned to face him.

"My best friend just died." I said. "That's why I quit."

"But you can't just quit!" he said. "You have a responsibility to use the Omnitrix!"

"I don't care! I don't want to do it anymore!" I exclaimed. "I never asked for this! I didn't want this! I just came along for the ride!"

"Look Ben, I know that losing your best friend must be difficult, but-"

"You don't get to mention that. You have no idea what it was like." I said. "But you know what? I'm going to let you in on a secret."

He just looked at me with a confused expression.

"He was your son! He was your fucking son and you didn't do a thing to want to help him!" I yelled at him with anger, as tears rolled down my cheeks. "You could have given him a serum or something to save him from his addiction, and you chose not to!"

Director Steel just looked at me with shock. He didn't even say anything. Well, at least not at first.

"Ben, I… I don't have a son." He said in a calm tone.

Just then, I heard Mom's voice from inside the house.

"Ben honey, are you okay out there?" she called.

I turned around and opened the door, poking my head in.

"Yes, I'm fine." I said, as I walked in and closed the door behind me.

"Do you want to invite your guest in?" Mom said.

I shook my head no, before changing my mind soon after.

"Actually, you know what?" I asked. "Yes, I do want to invite him in. Come on in, Director Steel!"

A few seconds later, the door opened and Director Steel walked in. My Mom and Dad looked shocked to see him. Eventually, Director Steel spoke.

"Hello, Agent Deadeye." He said. "Hello, Agent Speedster."

Neither my Mom nor my Dad spoke. Eventually, Dad worked up the courage to speak.

"Agent Steel?" he asked. "Is that you?"

Director Steel nodded.

"Well actually, it's _Director_ Steel now." He said. "I took over leadership of S.E.C.T."

"This is impossible." Mom said. "You're supposed to be dead!"

"Don't sound so alarmed. I _was_ dead." He said. "But however, it is a long story. Perhaps you'll let me tell you over a cup of tea, for old time's sake?"

They both looked at him with confusion. Finally, Mom looked at me.

"Ben, go set the table please." She said.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Ben's House_

I walked into the kitchen with Gwen, both of us fully clothed now. I let out a groan.

"Dude, are you alright?" Albedo asked from the kitchen table, which had a lit candle on it. "You look tired!"

"Dude, I am dead-ass tired." I said in response, as Gwen and I sat down at the table. "I was up late last night."

"What were you doing?" Albedo asked me.

I looked over to Gwen, who was shaking her head at me. I looked back at Albedo.

"Something fun." I said, in a smug tone.

I looked back at Gwen, who blushed a light pink. I looked back at Albedo, who gave me a confused look. He didn't suspect a thing. Just then, Dad walked in through the back door, with a skillet full of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages.

"Alright, kiddos!" he said. "Breakfast is on!"

He sat down the skillet on the stove and opened a cabinet, and began to pull out plates. He began to pile the plates with scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages. Mom got the most, since she was eating for two now. Dad sat all four of our plates down onto the table and went off into the living room.

"You guys can start eating. Your mother and I are going to eat in our bedroom." He said.

"Thanks, Dad." I said, as the other three thanked him as well.

"You're welcome." He said.

I began to shovel the food into my mouth, pretty hungry after my last meal was about twelve hours ago. Albedo was eating too, until his phone vibrated. He took it out and opened it up, and looked at it for a minute or two.

"Oh my God." He finally said with shock.

"What?" I asked, looking up at him as I continued to eat.

He looked up at me, with a look of shock in his eyes.

"Tracy Flanagan was killed last night!" he said.

I looked back at him with shock, as did Gwen and Sunny.

 _Tracy Flanagan? Tracy Flanagan was one of our classmates at school! We weren't close, but we were acquaintances. But she had been killed?_

"What did you say?" Gwen asked.

"Tracy Flanagan was killed last night!" he said, as he looked at her.

Unfortunately, I saw the opportunity to make a joke.

"I didn't do it!" I said.

"We didn't do it!" Sunny and Albedo said in unison.

Afterwards, Albedo chuckled.

"That's a pretty good Scream reference." I said.

"Guys, all joking aside, this isn't something to be joking about!" Gwen said. "How did you find out?"

"It's all over the news!" Albedo said. "J.T. sent me a link to the news website, where they're discussing it."

"Do I dare ask how she died?" I asked. "And you seriously have Wi-Fi right now? Why don't I?"

Sunny took Albedo's phone from him and looked at it.

"I don't know why you don't have Wi-Fi!" he said as she took his phone from him.

"She wasn't just killed. She was murdered." She said.

Albedo took his phone back from her.

"They found her early this morning, naked and stuffed into a trash can." He said. "She was stabbed several dozen times and it looked like she had been in a struggle."

"Jesus, it sounds like Jack the Ripper." I said, as I stopped eating.

"Here, look at this." Albedo said, as he passed his phone back to Sunny.

After a few seconds, she spoke.

"Jesus, the killer even left a twisted nursery rhyme at the crime scene, written in her own blood!" she said.

"Oh, God." I said, as I placed my fork down.

Gwen turned to look at me.

"Ben, are you okay?" she asked. "You're turning a little green!"

"I'll be fine. Let's just talk about something else!" I said.

"Here." Albedo said, as he took his phone from Sunny and passed it to me, ignoring my request.

I tried not to look at the pictures of the crime scene, but it was too late. I was already reading the nursery rhyme that Sunny had spoke of:

 _One is done,_

 _Two was fun,_

 _Three tried to run,_

 _Four called Mom,_

 _Five's not alive,_

 _Six is nix,_

 _Seven's in heaven,_

 _Eight won't wait_

"Oh, God!" I exclaimed, as I got up from the kitchen table and ran over to the trash can.

I opened it up and bent over it, as I began to throw up into it. Once I was done, I closed the trash can and returned to my seat, where Albedo's phone still sat in front of my plate. I tried not to look at the pictures, as I picked it up and threw it back to him. Just then, my Mom came rushing into the room.

"What happened?" she asked. "Why did I hear someone get sick in here?"

"Because you did." I said. "I threw up."

Mom looked at me and was probably about to ask me why, when Gwen spoke.

"Aunt Sandra, Tracy Flanagan, one of our classmates from school was murdered last night!" she exclaimed.

"What?!" Mom exclaimed with surprise.

Albedo handed her his phone, which she took from him and began to look at it. After a few seconds, she looked up.

"Carl!" she called out.

A few seconds later, my Dad came walking around the corner of the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. Mom handed the phone to him and he took it, and began to read the report and look at the pictures.

"Jesus, is this for real?" he asked.

"Does it look real, Carl?" Albedo asked.

"Jesus." Dad repeated.

"Well, I don't think I'm eating the rest of my breakfast," I said, as I got up from the table, grabbing my plate as I did.

"Well, you better get your jackets, boots, hats and gloves on, kids." Dad said. "We need to get that driveway shoveled."

"But Dad, one of our classmate's mangled body was just found!" I protested. "Doesn't that mean something to you?!"

"As much as it does, this is no time for mourning. If we have to get somewhere, that driveway has to be shoveled." He said. "Once that's done, we're all back inside. No one goes outside, no one comes inside."

I just stood there, saying nothing.

"Seriously, kids. Time to get dressed!" he said again. "Let's move!"

I walked around the corner of the wall and began to walk down the hallway, but stopped with shock when I saw something. I saw Kevin, standing in the hallway, staring at me. But this Kevin had long, unkempt black hair, as well as pale skin and sunken back eyes that were bloodshot.

"You know what it is." He said to me.

After that, he was silent, staring at me with the same blank expression.

"Ben?" I heard Albedo's voice behind me. "Why are you just standing in the hallway?"

I slowly turned to face him and he looked at me with confusion.

"Ben? You look like you've just seen a ghost!" he said.

I turned back, to see that Kevin was now gone. I turned back to Albedo.

"I think I just did!" I said.

 _Then_

 _Early August_

 _Ben's House_

"So as you know, I used the prototype of Azmuth's Omnitrix to fight Enoch's security." Director Steel said, as the four of us sat at the kitchen table.

"Azmuth?" I asked with confusion.

"Azmuth is the creator of the Omnitrix," Director Steel said as he looked at me. "Back in the day, S.E.C.T. teamed up with him to make a weapon, which would be the Omnitrix. Well, he didn't want it to be a weapon. Once he realized that we wanted to make it a weapon, he severed his ties to us and went off on his own, leaving us with the prototype Omnitrix. However, we couldn't replicate _his_ Omnitrix without his notes, which he had taken with him. That's why the prototype of the Omnitrix was a failure. We couldn't make it the same without his notes."

I was silent now. Director Steel turned back to my parents.

"And like I said, I used the prototype Omnitrix to combat Enoch's security force." He said. "However, because the prototype hadn't been tested yet, it mutated me into a giant monstrosity, similar to what Ben's friend mutated into."

 _Ben's friend? He was your son, you twat._

"Make no mistake, when I was caught in that explosion I _did_ die." He said. "S.E.C.T. recovered by body later on and using the advanced technology that they had at their disposal, they brought me back from the dead."

"They just brought you back?" Dad asked. "Just like that?"

"No, it wasn't just like that." Director Steel said. "At first, I was comatose. It took a while for me to wake up in a bed, hooked up to all kinds of machines, which pumped some kind of substance into my body. It's probably what brought me back."

"What were they pumping into you?" Mom asked. "You said that it's probably what brought you back?"

Director Steel nodded.

"Sadly, I can't tell you what they were pumping into my body, because they never told me themselves." He said. "But I am pretty sure it's what brought me back to life."

Mom looked stunned.

"This… This is just so much to take in all at once." She said.

"I know it is, Sandra." Director Steel said. "But I assure you, that it's the truth."

I stood up from the table and moved towards the hallway to the basement stairs.

"I'll be right back." I said, as I walked through the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Mom asked.

I didn't answer. I walked down the basement stairs and into the basement, and was greeted by the sight of Albedo and Sunny making out on the couch. Sunny noticed me first and pulled away from their make out session.

"Um, a little privacy please?" she asked, as I walked towards the hole in the back wall, where the secret room was.

I walked inside the secret room and pulled the draw string, turning on the light. I grabbed the hefty folder of files that Enoch had given me that night and opened it. I pulled out the letter that my dad had written to me before I was born, as well as Kevin's birth certificate.

I then closed the folder and shut off the light, before leaving the secret room. I walked past Sunny and Albedo on the couch without a second thought and headed back for the basement stairs. I walked up the basement stairs, back through the hallway and back into the kitchen, where the three of them waited.

"When were you going to tell me about this?" I asked, as I placed Dad's letter in front of him.

He looked down at the paper for a second and then realized what it was, as his eyes widened with shock. He looked back up at me.

"When did you… Where did you?" he asked me.

"Gwen and I accidentally busted down a wall while you guys were gone and we found your little secret room." I said. "Along with that in the room, there were several newspaper clippings, transcripts, file folders and detailed schematics on a device called the "Omnitrix"."

Dad looked up at me with shock, as I placed Kevin's birth certificate on the table in front of Director Steel.

"And my friend Kevin, he _was_ your son." I said in an angered voice.

Director Steel looked at the paper and then at me with confusion.

"Kevin Ethan Levin, Sr." I said. "Is that or is that not your name?!"

Director Steel continued to look at me, before he looked down at the floor.

"Yes. Yes, it is my name." he said. "It's my birth name."

I looked at him with anger.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?!" I shouted with anger at him.

"Benjamin Tennyson!" Mom exclaimed with a scolding tone.

Director Steel looked up at me. I ignored Mom.

"He was your son! He was your son and you knew!" I exclaimed. "It's your fault that he's dead! You could have done something to save him and you chose not to!"

"I… I never knew that I had a son." He whispered. "I never knew that he even existed."

"Bullshit! I think you're lying to me!" I exclaimed. "I think that you knew he existed and you just chose not to attempt to find him!"

"Benjamin, you need to calm down!" Mom said. "Director Steel doesn't even know what you're talking about! He doesn't even have a son!"

"Oh, really?" I asked, as I picked up Kevin's birth certificate and slammed it down in front of them. "Then what is this?!"

Mom looked down at the birth certificate and then back up at Director Steel.

"But I don't get it, I thought you never had a son." She said.

Director Steel said nothing.

"And yet, you're listed as Kevin's father." She said. "How can that be?"

"I don't know." He said. "My wife never told me that she was pregnant."

"And yet she was pregnant anyway." I said. "And you never knew?"

Director Steel looked up at me with anger.

"I never knew? How was I supposed to know, kid?" he asked.

"I don't know how you were supposed to know! But seriously, you didn't know that you had a son?!" I exclaimed. "Where have you been the last seventeen years?!"

Director Steel looked down as if he was angry at me for speaking to him like that, but I didn't care. He eventually looked back up at us.

"When S.E.C.T. brought me back from the dead, they said that I owed them. Bringing someone back from the dead, that wasn't just a simple little favor. They told me that I owed them for the rest of my life and that I wasn't going anywhere." He said. "Hell, I haven't been outside of HQ more than four or five times over the last few years. I haven't been able to see my son, let alone knowing about his existence."

"Okay, well if you owe S.E.C.T. and that they wouldn't let you go, then how can you be here?" I asked.

"I worked my way up through the ranks of S.E.C.T., until I became Director." He said. "It was at this time, that I found it appropriate to come speak with you."

"But that doesn't really explain how they let you come here!" I said.

"I'm the Director of S.E.C.T." he said. "I can do whatever I want and I don't have to take orders from anyone anymore."

I just stared at him, unsure of what to say. Eventually, I spoke beating Mom and Dad to whatever they may have wanted to say.

"Director Steel, what did you really come here for?" I asked.

He looked up at me, before sighing.

"Ben, when I look at the track record that your mother and father had while they worked for S.E.C.T., I see that you have potential to follow in their footsteps." He said. "Ben, I want you to train under me to become a S.E.C.T. agent. Consider it an internship, that is, if your parents are okay with it."

"I'm fine with it." Dad said.

"Oh, I don't know Carl. Don't you remember all of the horrible things that we endured in our time as S.E.C.T. agents?" Mom asked. "Do you really want our son to be in that line of business?"

"Sandra, S.E.C.T. is the family business!" Dad exclaimed. "Someone has to carry on the family legacy. If it's not Ben, who would do it?"

Mom just looked at Director Steel and then at my Dad.

"I suppose you're right." She said in a hesitant tone. "Besides, it could teach Ben the importance of holding a job and that you have to earn what you take. Nothing is handed to you for free."

I couldn't believe it.

 _They actually wanted me to join S.E.C.T.?!_

"So, he can join then?" Director Steel asked.

"Yes." Mom and Dad said in unison.

Director Steel turned to look at me.

"Well, how about it Ben? Do you-"

"No." I said, interrupting him.

"No what?" he asked. "You didn't even let me finish!"

"No. Just no." I said. "That's my answer. I don't anything to do with S.E.C.T."

"How could you say no to an invitation to join?" Director Steel asked. "S.E.C.T. is-"

"Director Steel, I want to you to know that I'm really being quite clear with you. Listen closely, because here I go." I said. "I hate you. I hate you, I hate S.E.C.T., I hate everything about you guys. I want nothing to do with you or S.E.C.T."

He just looked at me with shock, before he looked down at the table.

"It's your fault that Kevin's dead. You could have done something to help him and you chose not to." I said.

He said nothing, as he continued to stare at the table.

"I want nothing to do with you or S.E.C.T." I said, as I looked at him. "You are dead to me Director Steel. I never want to see you again, we're done here."

I left the kitchen and walked down the hall to my room, which would eventually be my little sister's room. I walked into the room and slammed the door shut behind me.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Ben's House_

We stood outside now, shoveling the driveway. As I shoveled, I looked up at Gwen, who was shoveling the other side of the driveway, just a few feet away from me. She caught my eye as she was shoveling and turned to look at me. She just smiled at me and said nothing, and I smiled back.

We didn't say anything; we just smiled at one another. Out of nowhere, Albedo came into my field of view, with a quizzical look on his face.

"What?" I asked him, as I went back to shoveling snow.

By the way, I wasn't even sure why we were shoveling snow, as it was still snowing. But I guess I missed something somewhere.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Can it wait?" I asked him in return.

"No." he said. "I think we need to talk _now_."

I looked up at him, as I stopped shoveling. He looked back at me with a worried look on his face.

"Okay, let's go talk in private." I said, as I picked up my shovel from the ground and walked off towards the side of the house.

We walked around to the side of the house, where no one would see us or hear us. That's when I noticed something. I looked over to the to window at which I had seen the figure last night. And there were four scratches running down the glass. They looked as though they had been made by fingernails. I stared at the window with shock.

 _Does that mean I wasn't seeing things last night?_

"What is it?" I heard Albedo ask.

"Nothing." I said, as I shook my head and turned to look at him.

"Okay, so what's on your mind?" I asked him, as I placed my shovel up against the house.

"Look, I know that Tracy was just one of our acquaintances." He said. "But her murder could have been prevented. I think you could have done something about it."

"Are you suggesting that I suit up again?" I asked.

"Yes." He said.

"No." I said. "I thought I told you that I left that life behind."

"You did, but it doesn't make sense to me." He said. "We all understand that you're grieving, but you can't just quit because of a depression."

I looked at him.

"Albedo, look. I can do whatever I damn well please." I said. "And I decided to quit. And if I were to start again, Steel and S.E.C.T. would take notice and could possibly think that I'm interested in joining them. Which I'm not. I hate everything about them and have no interest in joining them. It's their fault that Kevin's dead."

"You're just pushing the blame onto other people now." He said.

I stiffened up with anger.

"The answer is no, Albedo." I said.

"But dude, I'm telling you-"

"Get it through your skull, Albedo! Alien Guy is dead! He's in the past!" I exclaimed. "And he's never coming back!"

I grabbed my shovel, walked away from him and returned to shovel the driveway.

 _Gwen_

 _Minutes Earlier_

Upon hearing Ben and Albedo talking to each other and then seeing them walk away towards the side of the house, I got curious. So, I dropped my shovel and began to silently follow them. I stopped at the corner that they just rounded and pressed my back up against the wall and listened to what they were saying.

"Okay, so what's on your mind?" I heard Ben ask.

"Look, I know that Tracy was just one of our acquaintances." Albedo replied. "But her murder could have been prevented. I think you could have done something about it."

"Are you suggesting that I suit up again?" Ben asked.

"Yes." Albedo said.

"No." Ben said. "I thought I told you that I left that life behind."

"You did, but it doesn't make sense to me." Albedo said. "We all understand that you're grieving, but you can't just quit because of a depression."

"Albedo, look. I can do whatever I damn well please." I said. "And I decided to quit. And if I were to start again, Steel and S.E.C.T. would take notice and could possibly think that I'm interested in joining them. Which I'm not. I hate everything about them and have no interest in joining them. It's their fault that Kevin's dead."

"You're just pushing the blame onto other people now." He said.

"The answer is no, Albedo." I said.

"But dude, I'm telling you-"

"Get it through your skull, Albedo! Alien Guy is dead! He's in the past!" I exclaimed. "And he's never coming back!"

I heard footsteps begin moving in my direction and I shimmied over to the right a little bit, so I wouldn't be as noticeable. Ben walked back into the area of the yard that I was in, with a shovel in his hand and he began walking back to the driveway, not even noticing me.

I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that he hadn't seen me. I narrowed my eyes at him as he walked back to the driveway.

 _Albedo is right. He shouldn't have quit. Could there be a way to get him back into that suit?_

Epilogue

 _?_

I slipped through the window of the abandoned tenement building and just stood there for a second. Eventually, I smiled and began to laugh as I walked over to my table and picked up a throwing knife.

"Our name does not matter; because you already know us." I said, as I turned around to face the wall.

The wall had eight pictures of different people's faces on them.

"But that doesn't matter, because we'll be seeing you very, very-"

I threw the knife at a picture of a teen named Gwen Tennyson and the knife embedded itself into the picture's forehead.

"-Soon!"

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for another chapter! What did you guys think? Sorry that I haven't updated in while. I've been busy with classes starting and my inactivity will only worsen the farther we get into the second half of the year.

* So Bellwood has seen a dark turn, as there seems to be a serial killer on the loose. Can Ben do something about it? It seems like there's someone after Gwen. Who do you think this person in? Also, about the killer's twisted nursery rhyme, that's a direct reference to Grand Theft Auto V, as well as the nursery rhyme found within the game, which is the exact same.

* Also, before I forget, what do you guys think of the fact that Ben is having hallucinations of Kevin?

* That's going to do it for me today, so I'm going to go though, have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses:**_

 _zaidhadden5: Awesome… Keep the story coming._

Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I can't promise that the story will come quickly though, as I stated above.

 _jasongd: And another great chapter congrats And You had to stop at that moment Ehhh, not cool man not cool I hope that in the next chapter we'll see what happened at night in Ben and Gwen's room_

 _BWEN Forever_

Thank you jasongd, glad you enjoyed the chapter. And sorry about that man, but it's out of character for me to write those _scenes._ I will hint that a scene like that is going to happen, but I will probably never write one myself, sorry.

If I wrote a scene like that it wouldn't be anything special and it'd probably be nothing different from a scene that you'd get from an average writer. But who knows? Maybe one day I'll write a scene like that jasongd, maybe one day.

 _org 13 is best: another good chapter with some foreshadowing and apparent sexy times that you CLIFHANGED US ON…come on man at least a flash forward to the morning would have been nice_

Org? I'm just going to call you org, I hope that's okay. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, org. I mean, a flash forward to the morning is basically what you got at the beginning of this chapter. And about the cliffhanger, I hate to do it, but I'll just refer you to my response to jasongd's review.

I don't feel like typing out my explanation again nor do I want to just copy and past it. Thank you for the review though.

Next Chapter: The murders continue and one of Ben's friends is hurt. Ben gets a package in the mail.


	5. Chapter 80: Alien Guy No More: Part 5

Chapter 80: Alien Guy No More: Part Five

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty!

* This is the final part of this arc, and then we'll go into another story arc. But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, let's get right into it!

 _Then_

 _Late October_

 _Gwen_

"So let me get this straight." I said to Sunny. "You want to do _what_ as a prank?"

"I want to switch places with you." She said.

"What do you mean switch places with me?" I asked.

"Like, I want to pretend to be Ben's boyfriend for a day and you could pretend that you're Albedo's girlfriend for a day." She said.

"Why? Why would you or I want to do this?" I asked.

"Because I think it would be funny." She said. "Don't you?"

I looked at her.

"How could it possibly be funny?" I asked.

"Well, think about it. Ben thinks that I'm you and Albedo thinks that you're me." She said. "Wouldn't it be funny if after a certain amount of time, we reveal that we're actually the opposite of who they think we are, which would shock them?"

"Sunny, I'm not sure how I feel about this." I said.

"How could you be unsure of anything?" she asked.

"You know what? Forget it. Just forget about it, Sunny." I said. "I don't want to do it."

I turned around to walk away, before she started to speak once more.

"Why don't you want to do it, Gwen?" she asked. "What's the matter with some harmless prank? Don't you like pranks?"

I let out a sigh as I stood there. I'm not sure if I wanted to turn around or not. Instead, I just began to speak myself.

"When we were kids, before our infamous fight as ten year olds, Ben and I would play pranks on each other all the time." I said. "They were just funny, harmless pranks. I'd put a bucket full of water on top of a slightly open door and I'd just wait for him to open said door all the way and in consequence, he'd get drenched in water. And in retaliation, he'd mix blue hair dye into my shampoo. I'm being serious, this actually happened once."

I turned around to look at her and she looked back at me with confusion.

"Sunny, pranks are supposed to harmless and funny. Trust me, I know." I said. "But what you're talking about is not a prank. You're talking about cruel and unusual punishment."

She just looked at me with a blank stare.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it." I said, as I turned around and walked away.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _A Couple Days After Loss of Power_

 _Ben_

The storm had slowed a bit. It was progressing like usual, however the degree of snow that we got day to day fluctuated in and out. It hadn't stopped snowing completely, but it had lightened up a little. On the other hand, the roads were covered with ice and it was practically impossible to drive anywhere.

This was without a doubt going to be one of the worst snowstorms/blizzards that Bellwood has ever seen. Onto the good news however, it seemed as though the spirits within the household had been significantly lifted.

The power had been restored thankfully enough and we could actually watch T.V. and have lights and all of that jazz. Dad called an electrician who was actually close enough to where we live to be willing to walk over through all of the shit outside, just to take a look at our box.

He replaced the cables that had been snipped in the box and that was that. It was simple it seemed. It was morning on this fateful day that it happened. Well two things happened and what I consider to be the most important thing can be left up to you.

Anyway, the entire house's population sat in the living room, watching T.V. as we ate breakfast. And it was at this time, that we all realized the grim reality of the current situation: There was a serial killer in Bellwood. There had been a second murder the previous night and the news was currently covering it.

"Seventeen year old Ned Hall was found stabbed to death early this morning." The news anchor replied, with a look of sorrow on her face.

I looked down at my bowl of Lucky Charms with shock.

 _Another murder, another kid from my school murdered? How could this be?_

The news anchor had been quiet for a second, before continuing to speak.

"The victim was found in a similar manner to that of which the first victim, Tracy Flanagan was found. Not being stripped of all of his clothing, but he was found stuffed into a trash can." She continued.

All of a sudden, I didn't feel like eating my breakfast anymore. I pushed my bowl of cereal away from me.

The news anchor looked down at the table that she sat at, before looking back up at the camera.

"The appearance of the killer/killers remains unknown, as no one has claimed to have seen him or her. Although, the nursery rhymes that him or her has left behind, along with their apparent fascination with the infinity symbol has had the citizens of Bellwood dubbing him "The Infinity Killer." She said. "That's all for today, I'm afraid."

I grabbed my bowl of cereal and got up from the floor.

"I think I'm going to excuse myself." I said, as I walked towards the kitchen, without looking at my family.

I heard Gwen get up behind me and she began walking after me. I walked into the kitchen, with her right behind me. I turned on the faucet and let the water flow into my bowl of uneaten cereal, before I dumped it all down the garbage disposal. I shut off the faucet.

"If you're going to say something, say it." I whispered to her.

"Ben, I think that we're dealing with a serial killer!" she whispered back.

I turned to look at her with confusion.

"We? What's with all this "we" stuff?" I whispered. "We're not involved. This isn't our problem, Gwen. We gave up the mantle."

"No, we never gave up the mantle, _you_ did!" she whispered. "And you're right. Now because of you, this isn't our problem."

I looked at her with confusion.

"What, are you saying that it _should_ be our problem?" I whispered.

She looked back at me.

"You know what? Yes, I am saying that it should be our problem!" she whispered in a harsh tone. "Tracy and Ned were our friends, Ben! Who could be next?"

"Gwen, no. Tracy and Ned were acquaintances." I whispered back. "I never considered them to be best friend material. Maybe they were friends, maybe. But they were more like acquaintances."

Gwen looked at me with shock.

"I can't believe you. You can't be my boyfriend." She whispered. "Because if you were, you'd be agreeing with me. You're a part of this whether you like it or not."

She walked out of the kitchen and left me alone.

"No, I'm not." I whispered to myself. "I'm retired."

I walked out of the kitchen after her and when I did, I saw Kevin standing there. He was the same as he was a few days ago. His black hair was long and unkempt, as well as his eyes being sunken back and bloodshot, his skin was pale.

"You know what it is." He said.

I stared back at him for several seconds and he stared back at me with a blank stare. I blinked once and he was gone. I said nothing, as I just stood there in silence.

 _Then_

 _Late October_

 _Gwen_

I stood in front of the door to Sunny and Albedo's room. Ben and Albedo were out right now at a video game store, so I had the perfect opportunity to talk to Sunny. I took a deep breath, opened the door and walked in.

Sunny was lying on the bed, reading a book. Upon me entering the room, she looked at me, before closing the book and sitting up to look at me.

"Hey. What is it?" she asked.

I sighed before I spoke.

"I'm probably going to hate myself for this, but how would your prank work?" I asked her.

Sunny smiled, which I had to admit, it worried me.

"So does that mean you've changed your mind?" she asked me.

"Just tell me how it would work." I said in a frustrated tone.

Sunny flung her legs over to the side of the bed, so that she sat on the edge of it.

"Do you remember how we made it possible for Albedo to go to school with us?" she asked.

"Of course I do." I said. "We just dyed his hair black and we used those contact lenses that Ben made with the help of Cooper, to make it appear as though Albedo's eyes were brown and not a pulsing red color."

"Okay, I'm glad you remember." She said.

"Why? What about it?" I asked.

Sunny gave me a look of confusion.

"Um, hello? That's how the prank would work!" she said.

"Am I missing something?" I asked with confusion.

"Yes, you are!" she exclaimed.

I just looked at her with confusion.

"You dye your hair blonde and I'll dye my hair fiery red!" she said.

My confusion lessened at this point, but there was still something that didn't make sense.

"I will say that it makes sense. However, one thing doesn't add up." I said.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"Our eyes. Albedo or Ben will be able to quickly realize that our eyes have changed colors." I said. "How do you plan to work around that?"

"Hello? Albedo has two spare pairs of those contact lenses, remember?" she asked.

"What's the point?" I asked in return. "They can only make our eyes appear as though they are brown."

"Um, no. They can change their color with the push of a button from the remote that comes with them remember?" she asked.

I was surprised.

"I didn't know that." I said.

"Then there's nothing else we need!" she said. "We have everything that we need. So, are you in? Did you change your mind?"

I let out a sigh.

"Fine, yes. I changed my mind." I said.

"Ha! I knew it!" she said. "I knew that you'd change your mind eventually!"

"No, you couldn't have known." I said. "When do we do this thing?"

"Well, tomorrow is Halloween." Sunny said. "So, tomorrow."

"Why does it have to be tomorrow?" I asked. "There's nothing really scary about your prank!"

"Um, the only thing scary about my prank is that at the end of the night, Ben's going to realize that he's been "dating" his worst enemy!" she said.

I let out a grumble of anger.

"I still don't see how this is going to be funny." I said.

"Don't think like that, Gwen!" She said. "You said that you're in. You can't change your mind again."

"I'm not going to change my mind again, Sunny." I said. "I just don't understand why you find this to be funny."

"What, you don't find it to be funny?" she asked.

"No! I've said it several times! I don't think that it's funny!" I said, now confused. "I think it's cruel and unusual punishment to make the guys think that they're dating the right girls and in truth, they aren't. Maybe I need you to explain it to me."

Sunny just looked at me.

"Explain what?" she asked.

I was in utter shock at this point. The fact that she apparently needed me to tell her what she needed to explain to me was mind blowing. So, I got a little frustrated.

"Explain how the prank would be funny!" I exclaimed with frustration. "Enlighten me!"

Sunny was taken back by my sudden outburst.

"Okay, okay, Gwen." She said. "Just take it easy and calm down!"

I let out a sigh of frustration.

"Just explain it to me." I said, still using a frustrated tone.

Sunny looked at me and eventually nodded.

"Okay, I'm just going to repeat what I said the other day." She said. "Ben thinks that I'm you and Albedo thinks that you're me. Wouldn't it be funny if after a certain amount of time, we reveal that we're actually the opposite of who they think we are, which would shock them?"

I shook my head without even thinking.

"You know what? No. It's not funny, Sunny." I said. "It's just weird."

"I don't understand how you find it weird." She said. "Same minds think alike, Gwen."

"Um, we do not have the same minds, Sunny." I said. "You were bred to attempt to kill Ben and I would never even think about hurting him."

"That's in the past." Was all she said.

"Is it?" I asked. "You and Ben are still cold towards one another."

"What can I say, Gwen? I told him that if he wanted to be nice to me, then I'd return the favor and be nice to him." She said. "Why is it my fault that the little Twerp won't cooperate?"

"Okay, don't call him a Twerp." I said. "And he still doesn't trust you after you tried to assassinate him. And I gotta be real honest with you, Sunny. I'm starting to see why he doesn't trust you."

Sunny looked shocked and a little fearful after I said that.

"What?" she asked.

"He has a point, now that I think about it." I said, as I stepped up closer to her. "Why would you find a prank like this to be funny? As I said before, it's just cruel and unusual. So, I have to ask. What is going on inside of that head of yours, Sunny?"

Sunny looked at me for a few seconds, with a slight look of fear on her face. Eventually, the look of fear disappeared and was replaced with a look of confidence, before she spoke.

"I'm not scared of you, Gwen." She said. "And I guess you'll never know what's going on inside my head. Too bad!"

"I don't want you to be scared of me, Sunny." I said.

She ignored what I said.

"So, are you in or not?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes as I sighed in frustration.

"Fine." I said. "Yes, I'm in."

Sunny just smiled.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Ben_

I sat downstairs, watching T.V. and generally minding my own business, when my phone began to ring. I reached for my phone sitting next to me and picked it up to read the caller ID. It told me that J.T. was calling me. I answered the phone and it up to my ear.

"What is it, J.T.?" I asked after I pressed the green answer button.

"Um dude, I have bad news." He said.

"Well what is it?" I asked him.

"Cash is in the hospital, man." He said. "He got cut earlier today."

"Wait, what?" I asked as I sat up a little straighter. "What do you mean he got cut? He's not dead is he?"

"No, it's nothing like that, man. He was just hurt." He said. "He was just out earlier today when it happened. He was cornered by some guy and the guy tried to stab him. Cash got away, not before getting a long and nasty gash on his arm, though."

"Jesus." I said in response. "Who would attack him in broad daylight and why?"

"That's what we're working on right now, man. He told us that the guy who tried to kill him had black, unkempt hair and pale skin." He said. "He also said that the guy had pale green eyes. What do you think about this?"

"To be honest, I think it has something to do with the guy that killed Tracy and Ned." I said. "You know, the guy? The Infinity Killer? He's all over the news, J.T."

"Yeah, we definitely haven't ruled that theory out, man." He said. "Can I tell you something else?"

"Sure, go ahead." I said.

"Cash mentioned something pretty weird once the doctors stitched and bandaged the gash on his arm." J.T. said. "When we went back to go see him, he mentioned that his attacker, once he failed to you know, kill him, he just disintegrated. It looked like he had turned into a bunch of bugs, he said."

"Don't listen to Cash, J.T. He smokes weed, remember?" I asked. "He was probably just hallucinating that part."

"He doesn't smoke anymore. Didn't he tell you that he stopped smoking at the beginning of the semester?" he asked. "And besides, cannabis doesn't make you hallucinate."

"How would you know that cannabis doesn't make you hallucinate or not?" I asked.

"Because he told me himself that he had never experienced any hallucinations." J.T. said.

"Okay, okay." I said. "Whatever."

"Any word when we're going back to school yet?" J.T. asked a few seconds later.

"No." I said. "The roads are still shitty and we're probably not getting back into school until a week or so from now."

"Agreed." J.T. said.

"Look, thanks for all of this man." I said. "If it's cool with you, I want to get off of the phone. I need time to process all of this."

"It's no problem to me, man." He said. "Take all the time you need."

"Thanks." I said. "Will you call me if his condition improves, or you know, worsens?"

"Of course." He said. "You have the good rest of your day."

"Thanks." I said. "Take it easy, J.T."

"Same to you." He said, before hanging up.

He hung up and I put my head back against the couch, laid down my phone next to me and took a breath. Eventually, I had caught my breath and I got up off of the couch. I turned to my right and got jumpscared once I saw Kevin standing there. And yes, he was in the same form as he was the last two times I saw him. Once I recovered from the scare, he spoke.

"You know what it is." He said.

I shook my head, as tears came to my eyes.

"No, you're not real!" I exclaimed. "No, you're not!"

Then the hallucination turned hostile.

"You know!" he yelled at me.

"I don't take orders from you." I said. "You can't tell me what do anymore!"

"You know!" he yelled even louder this time.

"Shut up!" I exclaimed, as turned to grab my phone from the couch.

When I turned back to throw my phone at him, he was gone. I lowered my phone and stood there for a few seconds, just breathing in and out. I eventually recovered from my shock and decided to go tell Gwen about what J.T. had called me about.

I walked up the basement stairs and through the hallway to the kitchen. I walked through the kitchen, into the living room and down the hall to our room. I stepped into the room, where I saw Gwen lying on her stomach, reading a book.

"Gwen?" I asked.

"What?" she responded, not shutting the book she was reading.

"Can we talk for a minute?" I asked.

"We're talking right now, aren't we?" she asked.

"Um, yes?" I asked.

She let out a sigh of frustration.

"Ben, just fucking say what you're going to say already." She said with frustration.

"You watch your mouth, young lady." I heard Mom say.

We both turned to look at her standing in the doorway. She took a step into the room and looked at Gwen.

"Gwen, you're living here now and trust me, we're all happy to have you here. But you are living under my roof and you will live by my rules." She said. "I will not have a foul mouthed teenage girl staying here."

Gwen looked at her for a few seconds, before speaking.

"Sorry, Aunt Sandra." She said.

The look on Mom's face softened.

"That's better." She said, before she walked away.

Once she was gone, Gwen looked back down at her book.

"Now, what did you want to tell me?" she asked.

"J.T. just called me." I said.

"And?" she asked. "So what?"

"Cash was cut today." I said. "He was almost killed. He's in the hospital right now."

Gwen looked up at me with shock, before her look of shock was replaced with anger. She shut her book, before speaking.

"This is your fault, you know?" she asked.

"My fault?" I asked. "How is it my fault?"

"Ben, you could have done something. But did you choose to do something?" she asked. "No, you didn't. You chose to sit back on your behind and watch it happen. You're just letting this killer kill people. So, it's all your fault."

"Gwen, I didn't create a serial killer." I said.

"No, but you sure as hell made his job easier." She said.

"What did I say about the foul language?" Mom called from the living room.

"Jeez, she has the ears of a cat!" I whispered.

"Sorry, Aunt Sandra!" Gwen called. "I was just trying to make a point to Ben!"

"Can you make that point without making foul language?" Mom called back.

After she said that, Gwen was quiet. She just looked up at me, not saying anything. We kept staring at each other for several more seconds, before she opened her book and went back to reading. After a few minutes of me standing there, I laid down on the bed and put my head on my pillow.

"I'm going to take a nap." I said to Gwen, as I closed my eyes.

"Do you want me to go into another room so I don't disturb you?" Gwen asked.

"No. You're fine where you're at." I said, as I put both my arms underneath the pillow.

I let out a sigh, as I thought peaceful thoughts, beginning to drift away into sleep.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

I was woken up from my nap when Gwen started shaking me.

"Ben, Ben!" she said. "Wake up!"

Even though I was awake, I didn't open my eyes. Instead, I opened my mouth and spoke in a groggy voice.

"Ben isn't here right now." I said. "But if you'd like to make an appointment…"

"Ben, seriously!" she said, as she lightly hit me. "Wake up!"

"Ugh, fine. What is it?" I asked, as I opened my eyes, to see Mom and Dad standing in the doorway.

Once I saw them there, I sat up.

"Oh, hey guys." I said. "What's going on?"

"We're short on food in the fridge, Ben." Dad said. "So your Mom and I are going to round up some grub."

"But I thought the roads were bad?" I asked, as I got up to follow them down the hall.

"Oh, they are. But unless you guys want to go hungry tonight, we need to go get some food." He said. "And besides, your mother needs to eat anyway."

"Okay, that makes sense." I said, as I stopped following them.

"Oh, one more thing before I forget." Dad said, as he turned to face me. "A package came for you in the mail. It's sitting on the front porch."

"A package for me? Who's it from?" I asked. "And what's in it?"

"I don't know." He said. "We didn't look."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"It's none of our business." Mom said. "Why don't you open it or do something with it while we're gone?"

"Um, sure." I said, as the walked to the living room closet to get their coats.

Once they had gotten their coats on, they opened the front door and walked outside. I stepped outside after them and got a glimpse of the package that had come for me. It was a box, that I would say is at least three feet wide and a couple feet tall.

It had an envelope taped to it, with my name scribbled onto it. It also had no return address on it. I sighed, as I bent over to pick it up. I turned back around and walked back into the house, to see Gwen, Sunny and Albedo waiting for me.

"What?" I asked, as I closed the door.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Albedo asked.

"Are you all going to clear out and give me some privacy?" I asked.

No one moved or said anything. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, fine." I said. "Let's go to the basement."

 _Then_

 _Halloween_

 _Gwen_

"I still don't see how this is going to be a good idea." I said, as I leaned my head back for the hair stylist.

Sunny and I were at the hair salon, getting our hair dyed. She was getting hers dyed fiery red and I was getting mine dyed blonde.

"Gwen, just because you think it's a bad idea doesn't mean that it won't be funny!" Sunny said, from the station where she was getting her hair dyed.

"I really don't want to do this." I said.

"You can't back down now. Sorry." She said.

"I never said I was going to back down." I said.

Finally, after the minute of us talking to each other like that, my hair stylist spoke up.

"Okay, okay. What are you kids up to?" she asked.

Before I could even speak, Sunny beat me too it.

"Um, excuse me, but I'm not a kid." She said.

"Here we go." I whispered to myself.

"But we're pranking our boyfriends." Sunny said.

"Pranking how so?" my hair stylist asked.

I let out a sigh.

"We're switching places with one another." I said. "Pretending to be each other. And we're trading places with one another to mess with our boyfriends."

No one said anything for a second or two.

"Are you sure that that's a good idea?" my stylist asked.

"Don't ask me." I said. "Ask her. It was her idea."

"I just don't understand why everyone thinks that this is a bad idea." Sunny said. "I mean, does no one think that it's funny?"

"Yeah, I guess. To a certain extent, that is." My stylist replied.

"What do you mean?" Sunny asked.

"Do ever to stop to consider the ramifications that this will have your loved ones?" she asked Sunny.

"What ramifications?" Sunny asked.

"Don't you think that this is torture to your loved ones?" the stylist asked. "How do you think they'll treat you after this? Do you actually think that they will trust you after this?"

"Eh, they'll get over it." She said.

My hairstylist looked at me.

"Don't ask me." I said. "Sunny thinks in a… weird way. I'll put it like that."

"Are you saying that I have mental issues?" Sunny asked with a bit of an angry tone in her voice.

"No, no, no! Oh Lord, no!" I said. "I'm just saying that you think in your own way. You have a unique mind, Sunny."

"A unique mind?" Sunny asked. "What does that even mean?"

"Do you really need an explanation?" I asked. "Your mind is dark. You think dark. You enjoy manipulating and sometimes torturing people, even if it's not through pain."

Sunny was silent.

"I'm not talking." She finally said.

I just chuckled as we continued getting our hair dyed.

 _Later_

After about another ten or so minutes, we left the hair salon. Once we were outside, I turned to look at Sunny.

"That wasn't cool in there." I said to her.

"What wasn't cool?" she asked. "How you told me that I have a "unique mind"?"

"No." I said, shaking my head. "I'm talking about how you dissed the hairstylist."

"What?" Sunny asked. "I didn't diss her!"

"You totally dissed her." I said, as I nodded.

"I call your bluff." Sunny said. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh, sure. You think whatever you want to think Sunny." I said.

Sunny didn't say anything else after that and neither did I. However, after a few seconds, I broke the awkward silence between us.

"Um, if we're going to do this thing, I have a request." I said.

"Okay. What do you want?" she asked.

"Can you, uh, you know, pick out a more decent outfit for me to wear while I pretend to be you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Okay, how do I say this?" I asked. "You dress really slutty. There, is that better?"

"I dress slutty? Um, excuse me, but what do you mean by that?" she asked.

"You know exactly what I mean, Sunny." I said.

"You care to elaborate for me, then?" she asked.

"What do I need to say?" I asked. "Okay, so you dress different for Albedo, we all know it. You dress in clothes that show off your legs, your curves and even sometimes, you dress in clothes that show off _cleavage_."

My voice cracked when I said the word.

"Oh, that's what you mean!" Sunny said, with a bright look appearing on her face. "Well, what can I say Gwen? I have the advantages of having a smoking hot body! Do you really expect me to not flaunt those advantages whenever and wherever I can?"

"Advantages?" I asked.

"And you have them too, Gwen!" she said. "Don't tell me that you haven't looked yourself over in the mirror when you're naked or at least when you're in your underwear!"

My face flushed. I was officially feeling uncomfortable.

"Sunny, stop talking like that." I said.

She ignored me and persisted.

"Gwen, if you just flaunt your body for Ben, you would have him on a leash! Trust me, I know, because I have Albedo on a leash!" she said. "If you do this, Ben would jump at the chance to "play doctor" with you! I mean, Albedo and I practically do it every night!"

"Sunny, stop!" I said. "I don't need to hear that! And I don't like the way you're talking!"

"Oh come now, Gwen. Drop the innocent act!" Sunny said. "You act too innocent. You just need to bust out of your shell!"

"Sunny, stop. Of course I'm innocent." I said. "Ben and I's relationship is still very new. If he wants it so bad, he can come to me and we can work something out that doesn't involve us going all the way. I don't want to force myself onto him, he has his own freewill."

"Oh, freewill my ass!" Sunny said. "You just need to flaunt your body like I said…"

"Sunny, stop!" I exclaimed. "I do not like the way you're talking! Just stop! The bottom line here is, that I want to wear something tonight that doesn't show anything off. Please!"

"Okay, okay! Fine!" she gave in. "I'll fetch you some _decent_ clothes."

"Thank you." I said.

 _Ben_

 _Late Afternoon_

The Girls, Albedo and I were having a double date for Halloween. We weren't going trick or treating, or anything of the sort. We were just going to hang out. We were having dinner at Mr. Smoothie, which doubled as a diner. Well, at least the specific Mr. Smoothie that we were at did.

"So, what are you guys doing after we're done here?" Albedo asked.

"Ben and I are going roller skating." Gwen said, as she kept her arms wrapped around my right arm.

"Yeah, it should be fun." I said. "What about you guys?"

"Albedo and I are going to go see a movie." Sunny replied.

"Cool." I said. "What movie?"

"Oh, just a romantic comedy." She said.

"Really?" I asked. "A rom-com?"

"Yeah, rom-coms are overrated!" Gwen said.

I looked at her, somewhat shocked that she said that.

"What do you mean, Gwen?" I asked. "You love rom-coms!"

Gwen looked at me with confusion, before speaking.

"Oh, um, right. I love rom-coms!" she said.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What is going on with you?" I asked.

Before I could answer, the waitress came over asking for the payment of our meal. Once she had collected from us, we were free to go and Albedo and Sunny were out of the diner before I could even comprehend what was happening.

"Um, what was that all about?" I asked, turning to look at Gwen.

She ignored me and just took my hand, as she pulled me out of the booth.

"Come on let's go!" she said. "We're wasting time!"

"But…" I tried to speak, but she interrupted me.

"Come on!" Gwen said, as she kept pulling me along.

I let out a sigh, as I had no choice but to let her pull me along.

 _A Few Hours Later_

A few hours had passed and we got back home. And that's when Gwen started to play rough. And when I say rough, I mean _rough_. As soon as we were back in our room with the door shut, she slammed me up against the wall and began to make out with me.

As we made out, she began to rip my jacket off of me. I was beyond surprised at this, because it was unlike Gwen. I guess it was teenage hormones running wild? Well anyway, we were French kissing as she continued to rip our clothes off. Or at least that's what I thought she was doing.

Once she had gotten my jacket off, had partly unbuttoned my dress shirt and had taker her sweater off, revealing the tank top she wore underneath, she stopped. I looked at her with a questioning look.

"Gwen? What are you doing?" I asked.

She put a finger over her lips, signaling me to be quiet.

"I'm not Gwen." She whispered to me.

I looked at her with confusion after she said that.

"What?" I whispered to her.

She just smiled at me, before reaching towards her eyes. She pulled something out of her eyes and it took me a second to realize what they were: They were contacts. I was now staring at bright blue eyes, unlike the emerald green eyes that Gwen had. I let out a scream of shock after I came to this realization.

 _Gwen_

 _Five Minutes Earlier_

Albedo and I were down in his and Sunny's room. I had pushed him onto the bed and was gently kissing him, following along with Sunny's "plan". To be honest, I couldn't take this much longer. I believed that this "prank" couldn't lead to anything more than trouble. If this went on much longer, I'd just reveal myself to Albedo, as much as Sunny would hate that.

Albedo and I pulled away from the kiss that we shared.

"Sunny, baby, why are you being so gentle tonight?" he asked me.

I cringed when he called me that.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You usually kiss me roughly." He said. "What's going on with you tonight?"

I shrugged.

"I just want to take it slowly tonight, okay?" I asked.

Before he could answer, we heard a scream from upstairs. Albedo gently pushed me off of him and ran to the door to the room, threw it open and ran outside, me behind him most of the way. We both ran up the stairs and towards my and Ben's room, where the scream had come from.

Albedo opened the door and we both walked in, to see Ben staring at Sunny with shock. Well, they didn't know that it was Sunny yet. Well at this point, maybe Ben did know.

"What the fuck?!" he said to Sunny.

Sunny winked at him and that's when I realized it: her eyes were the bright blue color that they normally were. She had taken out the contacts that she had been wearing. So, it was obvious that Ben knew that Sunny was posing as me.

"What the fuck?!" he repeated himself. "Where's Gwen?"

Sunny looked over at me, ignoring what Ben said. I sighed, as I stepped forward.

"I'm right here." I said, as I reached to take the contacts out.

Ben turned around to look at me and must have noticed that my eyes were emerald green instead of bright blue.

"Gwen?" he asked, as he stepped closer to me. "Why the fuck is your hair dyed blonde?"

"Because, we were pulling a prank honey." Sunny said, answering for me.

Ben turned to look at her.

"You don't get to talk! Don't call me "honey" either!" he said harshly. "Oh my God, I can't believe I kissed my worst enemy!"

Sunny just laughed in response. Albedo walked over to Sunny.

"Sunny?" he asked. "Is that you?"

She nodded at him.

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on here?" Ben asked, as he turned to look at Sunny. "Why does Sunny look like Gwen? And why does Gwen look like Sunny?!"

"It was just a prank, Ben." Sunny said. "Gwen and I switched for our date night."

"Switched?" Albedo chimed in. "What do you mean switched?"

"Gwen and I dyed our hair and used your spare contacts to look like one another." Sunny said.

"How long was Sunny Gwen and Gwen was Sunny?" Ben asked.

"Since the diner." Gwen said.

"Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me." Ben said as he put his hand over his eyes.

"Okay, I have to admit. I actually thought you were Sunny there for a while." Albedo, said as he turned to look at Gwen.

He turned back to look at Sunny.

"You got us. That was good." He said, as he high fived her.

"I'm sorry, but what the fuck?" I asked. "You thought that was good? What's the matter with you?"

Sunny and Albedo looked at each other, before looking back at us.

"Okay, okay. Bye-bye!" I said, as I grabbed them both by the arms and forcefully dragged them out of the room.

Once they were out, I stepped back into the room and shut the door behind me. I turned to look at Gwen. An angry look crossed my face.

"You were in on this?" I asked her.

She looked back at me with watery eyes.

"Ben, please…"

"You were in on this?" I repeated my question.

"Ben, please." She repeated herself. "I didn't want to do it! Sunny forced me to do it! I knew it would end badly. Please, you've got to…"

"Okay, stop." I interrupted her. "As much as I want to be mad at you, I forgive you. Besides, we both know that I can't stay mad at you."

He opened up his arms.

"Come here." he said.

I ran into his arms without hesitation, wrapping my arms around him as he wrapped his hands around me. After a few seconds, I partly pulled away to look at him. I attempted to close the gap between us by kissing him, but he put his finger against my lips. I gave him a surprised look.

"No." he said. "You're not kissing me until your hair is fiery red again."

"Um, why?" I asked.

"I just kissed my worst enemy." Ben said. "You having blonde hair reminds me of that."

I just looked at him. I guess I understood. I hugged myself against his chest.

"That's alright." I said. "This'll have to do for now."

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Ben_

We all sat downstairs in the basement, with the package in front of me.

"Come on Ben, open it!" Albedo exclaimed.

"No, Ben. Open the envelope first!" Gwen encouraged me otherwise.

"Okay." I said, as I grabbed the envelope and tore it off of the box.

I opened it up and began reading it.

 _Dear Ben,_

 _I have been watching for sometime now, just seeing people in Bellwood dying. And now, with a serial killer murdering innocent people, I can't stand by and watch you do nothing anymore. See, there's an old saying that I've learned from you. And that saying is "With great power comes great responsibility."_

 _And when you put that watch on your wrist, you more or less took that saying to heart. And since you gave up the persona of Alien Guy, you have failed to go by that saying. I can't stand by anymore and watch people in our city get murdered, while you do nothing. So, I had to do this for the sake of our city. You'll thank me later, Ben._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Julie Yamamoto_

I let out a sigh, as I put down the paper.

 _With great power, comes great responsibility,_ the words repeated in my head.

"Julie was right." I whispered. "I've failed. I stood by and did nothing while my friends got hurt and/or killed."

"What?" Gwen asked.

"What's in the box?" Albedo asked.

I had an idea what was in the box, but I opened it anyway. Inside, along with all of the parts to my old costume, was the Omnitrix. I let out a sigh as I picked up the Omnitrix.

"Ben, what should we do?" Albedo asked.

I looked up at him to speak, but before I could, I saw Kevin standing behind him.

"You know what it is." Kevin spoke.

I let out a sigh, as I put the Omnitrix on, hissing in pain as I did.

"Go suit up." I said.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! What did you guys think? Ben is officially back in hero business.

* When Gwen told Sunny that Ben put blue hair dye into her shampoo as a kid, that was a reference to csgt's story, Watch Boy and Lucky Girl.

* I hope you guys like the "prank" that Sunny and Gwen pulled on the boys. That part of this chapter was improvised on and put together pretty quickly. And Ben's response to the prank will be explored further in the coming chapters.

* This chapter was originally going to be shorter, but I decided to make it longer with it being the end of this arc. And it also being Chapter Eighty, that too.

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd: And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Glad to see that you're enjoying the story as normal, Jason.

 _Shishen123: Ok. Sorry for not reviewing the last chapter but the reason is because i really had absolutely nothing to say about it. But i have plenty to say now like that guys user name is (org 13 is best) org 13 is organization 13 from kingdom hearts if you want the feel of playing final fantasy while you watch a Disney movie kingdom hearts is the game for you the story is confusing yet really enjoyable._

 _And "honesty org 13 is best" boy up there is obviously a fan of mansex and his mansex clone army and mansex is a nickname for the main villain xemnas. Anyway. Director steel was brought back to life, ben blames him he has the same processes done on him but then it had been a few months for kevin where as director steel had been a day or two so obviously Kevin's mental state had degenerated._

 _Long story short kevin is like a crazy zombie hunting for revenge on all who had wronged him before it or maybe he is hunting down any who might know who he is. But anyway if you feel like it answer so vaguely that "org 13 is best" thinks we are actually in kingdom hearts game and thinks your actually Nomura. But as always good chapter and peace out_ _:)_

Thank you, Shishen. Man, you don't have to review every chapter if you don't feel like it. Just reviewing every once and a while is fine with me. But yes, I do know about Kingdom Hearts. I've never played any of the games, but I do know that the game is very much like Final Fantasy.

I may give the series a playthrough at some point, though. Um, I gotta be honest. I don't have any clue what you were going on about with Director Steel and all of that there. You lost me. But I am glad that you enjoyed the chapter.

 _csgt (Chapter Two Review): I liked the sweetness of Ben and Gwen skating. "We're getting stood up again, aren't we?" By "again" did Ben mean that Gwen stood him up before, or was he remembering something that happened to him before with other girls (like, Kai stood him up)? I can't really picture Gwen doing that to Ben without a good justification._

 _Nice that Ken accepted. I won't lie, I was kind of expecting him to go fully dark and I'd enjoy it, but I also like that Ben and Gwen have him by their side, they need friends now more than ever. Ben's parents are pretty chill about the clones of Ben and Gwen (Albedo and Sunny), but considering that they were agents, they're used to craziness. I also like the little sister reveal. I'm pretty sure that Gwen is planning to have sex with Ben. That has to help him get over the grief LOL_

I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. No, Ben was never stood up by Gwen. He was just remembering what happened with him and Kai. He's just so negative about it. And he said "we" because he's so used to having a second voice in his head, via the Omnitrix. And also, he never dated a girl before Kai. Before Gwen, Kai was the only girl he dated. Just thought I should say that.

I also knew that you were talking about Sunny and Albedo when you addressed them as clones. There was no need to say it. And about Gwen planning that, well, I guess we found out, didn't we?

Next Chapter: Ben's Team begins the hunt to find the Infinity Killer. During the hunt, they discover the Infinity Killer's hideout.


	6. Chapter 81: The Infinity Killer: Part 1

Chapter 81: The Infinity Killer: Part One

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty-One! And also welcome to the second story arc!

* So, in this story arc Ben is going to start looking for the Infinity Killer. And I'll say it now; if you've been reading this story from the very beginning, you'll know who the Infinity Killer is when the time comes to the reveal.

* I can't say anything else, so let's get right into the chapter!

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

 _Ben_

I let out a nervous yell as I came out of my swing and let go of the gauntlet's rope. I fired my wrist gauntlet and the wire latched into a building's wall. I swung front first into it, which hurt a lot.

"Come on, get the hang of it!" Albedo exclaimed as he jumped from a roof across to another rooftop.

Using the sensors in my gloves that allowed me to cling to walls via static electricity, I climbed up the wall and towards the roof. Once I was getting up onto the roof, I looked up at Albedo, who stood there, looking down at me with a smirk on his face.

"Hey! Don't yell at me!" I said. "I've been out of this gig for the last three months!"

"Three and a half months, actually." Sunny said.

"Shut up, Sunny!" I exclaimed.

She just stared back at me, grinning and not saying anything.

"Okay, guys, let's calm down." Gwen said, as she walked over to me wearing her Lucky Girl costume and picking me up. "Ben's had a rough time lately, so let's just let him get back into the grind of this thing."

"Come on, people!" I said. "If we're going to be talking to each other, we can't use each other's names. We have to go by our super hero names!"

Albedo and Sunny looked at each other, before they both looked at me.

"But we don't have super hero names, Ben." Albedo said to me.

I smacked myself in the face.

"Alien Guy! _Alien Guy!_ " I exclaimed. "It's Alien Guy, Albedo! Get it through your skull!"

"Jeez, okay! Sorry!" he said.

"Well, if we're going to be taking super hero names, I'm taking Lucky Woman!" Sunny said, as she eyed Lucky Girl with a smirk.

Lucky Girl began to laugh in a sarcastic tone.

"Um, no." she said.

Before anyone else could speak, Albedo was the one who spoke.

"Yeah, and I'm taking Alien Man!" he said, as he laughed.

I turned to look at him.

"Fuck you, Albedo." I said, as I walked past him. "You know what, I don't need any of this!"

I turned back to look at the three of them, who all exchanged confused glances. They eventually looked back at me.

"I never wanted to get back into this costume! I didn't ask for this!" I said. "You all can just go home! I can solve this thing by myself."

Before they could answer, I dove off of the building and fired the wrist gauntlet, beginning to swing away from them.

 _Then_

 _Early November_

I let out a sigh, as I stepped out of the shower the next morning. I shook my head around, causing my hair to fly about. I stepped out into the bathroom area and stopped in front of the sink and started to wipe the fog away. Just then, I heard the door open to my right. I let out a sigh.

"Don't knock or anything." I said.

"Good morning." I heard Gwen say to my right.

I said nothing.

"Mmm-Hmm." I grunted. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." She said. "Give us a morning kiss, Love?"

I said nothing, as I turned on the water and began to get it warm. I picked up the can of shaving cream, uncapped it and sprayed some into my hand.

"Um, Ben?" Gwen asked. "I'm talking to you."

"And I need to shave before school starts, Gwen." I said. "I'll give you your morning kiss later."

I cupped my hands underneath the stream of warm water and allowed a small pool of warm water to form in my hands. I brought my cupped hands up and splashed my cheeks and chin with the water.

"Ben?" she asked again.

I ignored her this time and was about to start spreading the shaving cream onto my face, when it happened. Gwen grabbed my chin turned me to face her and pressed her lips against mine. My eyes widened with shock upon this and I could barely see the straps of a bra on her shoulders.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Another female voice said.

Gwen and I pulled away to look at Sunny, who stood in the doorway, with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Care to explain what you're doing with my boyfriend, Sunny?" she asked.

I was confused for a second, then I realized what was going on. The girls had dyed their hair back yet. I then looked back at Gwen, who I finally realized was actually Sunny.

"What the fuck?" I asked, as I pushed her away from me. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Sunny did nothing but laugh as she stood up straight again.

"You know what? Both of you, out of here!" I said, as I pushed them both out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut, locking it.

I let out a sigh, as I walked back up to the mirror. I began to smear the shaving cream onto my chin and cheeks, as well underneath my jaw. The lucky thing about what just happened is that Mom and Dad weren't home. Dad had to get to work early and Mom had an early morning doctor's appointment, regarding the baby.

See, if they were home, we wouldn't have been able to do anything of what just happened. I let out another sigh, as I began to shave.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

I let out a sigh, as I kept swinging from building to building, trying to get the hang of using the wrist gauntlets again. I came to a stop on top of a building, where I saw a robbery in progress. I looked down below but didn't see anyone in sight who could be robbing the bank. I knew that the bank was being robbed, because I saw a van and bags of money outside.

"Okay, let's see if we can stop this guy." I said to myself. "Question is, this guy who's robbing that bank, is he the same guy who killed Tracy and Ned? Do we have our man?"

"I don't know, let's see if we can find out." Albedo said, from out of nowhere, scaring the crap out of me.

"Jesus, dude!" I exclaimed, as I jumped.

I turned around, to see the three of them standing behind me.

"I thought I told you all to go home?" I asked in an angered tone.

Albedo responded by moving forward and jumping off the roof.

"You're not in charge anymore." Sunny said, as she walked past me. "Check that, actually. You _never were_ in charge!"

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" I asked, without turning to look at her.

"You think that I need you to tell me that?" she asked. "I know what I am, baby!"

"Don't call me that!" I said. "You don't deserve to call me that, especially after that stunt you two pulled, switching places!"

"Can I call you baby?" Lucky Girl asked.

"No!" I exclaimed, turning to look at her. "I-I mean, maybe."

Lucky Girl just chuckled, as I saw her blush.

"Look, you can stay up here and keep crying over Kevin, or you can come help us." Sunny said. "You're choice."

I turned to look at her.

"I hate you!" I exclaimed.

Sunny stopped moving. She turned around to look at me with a smirk on her face.

"Now you're speaking my language, buttercup! I hate you, too! I hate you, I hate your guts, I hate everything about you!" she said, stepping up to me. "You're a wimp, a weasel, an idiot and so much more! But you know why I don't act on this hatred?"

I didn't answer her.

"Because you've given me a place to live! You could have thrown me to the wolves that are the Forever Knights and you didn't!" she said. "And I can't thank you enough for it! So, for that, I don't act on my hatred for you! I'm a changed lady!"

Lucky Girl ran over to us and pushed us apart from one another.

"Okay, that's enough you two!" she said. "You guys aren't going to be at each other's throats on my watch!"

I ignored Lucky Girl and continued looking at Sunny.

"I should have killed you." I said.

Sunny was unphased by my comment.

"Yeah, you probably should have." She said.

"Guys?" Albedo called from below. "You should come see this!"

Sunny dove off of the roof without hesitation. I let out a sigh, as I was about to follow her. Before I could do that, Lucky Girl put her hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her.

"Hey, we're all here for you." She said, as she gently pulled my mask up to my nose. "Especially me."

She kissed me and after a few seconds, I kissed her back. We must have forgotten where we were at, because she put her tongue into my mouth and I put my tongue into hers. I gripped her waist as she gripped my neck and I pulled her closer. That's as far as we got.

"Hey, love birds! If you think that we're doing this by ourselves, you have another thing coming!" Sunny called up to us. "Seriously, come on let's go!"

Lucky Girl and I pulled away from one another and I pulled my mask back down.

"Right." I said. "Um, thanks."

Lucky Girl just blushed.

"Come on, Doofus." She said, as she grabbed my hand and ran towards the edge of the roof, forcing me along.

Both of us jumped off of the roof and down to the ground below, both of us landing on our feet. We both walked forward and let go of one another's hands.

"Okay, what do we got?" I asked, stopping beside Sunny and Albedo.

"You'll see." Albedo said.

I was confused at his comment, but waited nonetheless. Just then, a figure began to emerge from the bank. At first, I thought it was Fourarms. Well, at least it looked like Fourarms. But something was wrong with this Fourarms. This one was short and fat, maybe a little less than my height, which was abnormal for Fourarms, I thought anyway.

"What the hell?" I asked. "Are you a Fourarms? What are you?"

The small Fourarms looked up at me, me just now realizing he had a bag of money in each hand.

"I am your destroyer, puny human!" he exclaimed. "Prepare to be smited!"

"Um, excuse me, but was that supposed to be a threat?"

"I will crush you, puny human!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, come on!" I said, as I turned back to look at the three of them. "What is this?"

I turned back to the creature known as to the creature.

"Okay, I'm not the one who's puny." I said. "You're puny and on top of that, you're fat!"

That seemed to piss the creature off.

"Don't call me fat, puny human!" he exclaimed. "Prepare to be destroyed!"

"Jesus Christ." I said, as I walked closer to him.

I punched the creature in the face and he fell to the ground, being knocked out cold. The bags of money he had been carrying had dropped to the ground beside him.

"Pathetic." I said out loud.

I heard Albedo chuckle.

"I know, right?" he asked.

 _Then_

 _Early November_

Lunchtime had rolled around at school. Usually I would eat with my friends, J.T. and Cash, as well as Sunny, Albedo and Gwen. But today I wanted some time to myself and plus, I needed to study for a quiz that I had in English-IV tomorrow. So, I went out to the courtyard that was right outside the cafeteria, where some students were known to go to eat lunch.

It wasn't too cold yet for November, so I could go out there and eat my lunch, as well as study. I was looking down at my vocab notes for English and eating the sandwich that I had brought from home, when I felt someone beginning to kick me in the leg.

"Go away, I'm trying to study." I said, as I continued looking down at my vocab notes.

The kicking persisted, despite what I said. I finally looked up with at the person with an annoyed look on my face.

"Hey, I said stop so I-" I stopped talking once I saw a most unwelcome sight: my ex-girlfriend Kai.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked with anger.

Kai looked surprised, but the look of surprise was quickly replaced by a grin.

"Now is that anyway to greet your ex-girlfriend?" she asked in a sweet voice, as she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.

"After all of the bullshit that you put me through, yes, it is." I said, before looking back down at my notes. "Now go the fuck away, Kai. I'm trying to study."

She ignored me.

"What bullshit did I put you through?" she asked.

I looked up at her with anger, before closing my notebook and tossing my sandwich aside.

"Okay, you really want to know? Pay attention, because here I go." I said, as I got up from the ground to face her. "You stood me up, you cheated on me for weeks and my most personal favorite, "you just wish you were him". That's what you put me through, Kai."

"Well, you have to admit, you do wish that you were him." She said.

That infuriated me.

"You know what, Kai?" I asked. "You can suck my dick. Oh, wait, I forgot. You don't deserve to!"

"But your cousin does?" she asked. "What the hell is wrong with you, you sick fuck?!"

"You are such a bitch!" I exclaimed. "And besides, you can stay out of that! That is none of your business!"

"Ben, it doesn't matter what you say." Kai said. "Because at the end of the day, we both know that I'm better than you."

"Oh, really?" I asked with sarcasm. "Well I finished last semester on the school's honor roll list. Who's better than who, now?"

"Oh, cool. You can use that on a resume to get into a job." She said. "Who needs a resume when I can sleep my way into any job I want?"

"Whatever." I said. "Just shut up."

"You're hurting my feelings." Kai said. "I got dumped by my boyfriend, you know."

"Why the fuck do I care if you're boyfriend broke up with you? Now you know how it felt to me." I said. "And besides, you'll probably have a new boyfriend by the end of the day anyway."

"What exactly are you saying, Ben?" she asked, as she crossed her arms over her chest, a look of anger forming on her face.

"What do you want me to say? You're a slut!" I said, as I picked up my notebook and sandwich. "Boyfriends are practically a dime a dozen for you! Anyway, I'd say that it was nice talking to you, but it really wasn't. So, I'll see you around."

I turned around and began to walk away.

"Does your being negative to people help you grieve over Kevin?" she asked from behind me.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned around to face her and walked back up to her.

"I hate you, Kai." I said. "Fuck you."

"You know I'm right, though." She said. "I'm always right."

I looked at her with anger, as my face began to get a little red.

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear enough for you." I said. "Go fuck yourself, Kai. I hate you. I hate everything about you."

Before she could make a comeback from what I said, or before I could say anything else, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang.

"Like I said, see ya around." I said, as I turned around and walked away.

 _Now_

 _Mid-November_

After about another hour of searching, the gang and I had no leads. We had searched and searched, but found nothing that related to the Infinity Killer.

"I'm just about ready to give up." I said, as I shook my head.

"Um, no!" Lucky Girl said. "You put that costume and that watch back on, so you are going to see this through!"

I turned to look at her. She stared back at me with a determined look on her face.

"God damn you, Lucky Girl." I finally said.

She just chuckled at my comment. Just then, we heard the sound of someone screaming.

"Speak of the devil." Albedo said. "Let's go check it out."

With that, he dove off the roof. Sunny and Lucky Girl both did the same, leaving me behind. I sighed, before doing as they did. I landed on the ground and ran forward, as we searched for the source of the screaming.

"Where's it coming from?" I asked.

"This way!" Albedo said, as he ran off into a different direction.

I followed him, as Sunny and Lucky Girl did as well. We all kept running, until we all turned a corner to see a woman getting attacked. I saw him. The attacker was tall and was wearing dirty blue jeans, boots and a dark brown jacket with the hood up over his head, which was stained in several places.

He was trying to stab the woman with a hunting knife and it had already looked like he had cut her on the arm. Sunny pulled out her Twin Sais and ran forward with them.

"Remember my rule!" I exclaimed. "No killing!"

"Bite me!" she responded.

As soon as the attacker noticed us, he let go of the woman and took off running. Sunny was the first to run after him, but he was fast even for her. And trust me, I would know. When Sunny was first assigned by the Forever Knights to assassinate me, it was hardly ever worth it to run from her, because of how fast she could catch up to me.

I ran up to the woman.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Did he cut you anywhere else?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, call 911 and tell them what happened." I said, before running off.

"Wait!" the woman called, causing me to stop in my tracks. "Who are you?"

I turned to look at her from out of the corner of my eye.

"For better or worse," I said. "I'm Alien Guy."

"Come on, let's go!" Albedo exclaimed.

"Right." I said, as I turned in his direction and started running.

Sunny was the farthest ahead on the ground, with Albedo tailing close behind her. Keeping that in mind, I took to the high ground by grappling from building to building with my wrist gauntlets, while Lucky Girl ran alongside me, by creating platforms out of hot pink mana to run on.

I kept watch on the ground, keeping my eye on that woman's attacker. I'm sure that we had our man this time. Sunny was getting closer and closer to nabbing him but then something weird happened. He turned a corner and so did Sunny and Albedo. I swung around the corner, as Lucky Girl adjusted herself to run alongside me still.

"Hey, he's gone!" I heard Sunny say from below us.

I looked down. She was right. The man was nowhere in sight. I swung off from the cable of my wrist gauntlet, towards the wall of a building and stuck to it. I looked down at the ground, where Sunny and Albedo looked up at me.

 _How could he have disappeared so fast?_

That's when it hit me. I knew this place. I knew what this building was.

"Hey, I know this place." I said, as I looked around.

"What is it?" Lucky Girl asked.

"This-This is a tenement building." I said. "Like the one that Kevin stayed in for a while. Like the one I stayed in for a while, when I ran away from home."

"Do you really have to bring that up right now?" she asked.

"Right. Um, bad times, bad vibes." I said. "Sorry."

"What are you going to do?" Albedo called up to me.

I looked up to see an open area, without a window frame that I could climb into the building from. I pointed up to the open space and then looked back down at them.

"I'm going to climb up there and see if he went inside this building." I said. "You guys get up here anyway you can. Lucky Girl, come with me."

With that, I climbed up to the open space, as Lucky Girl followed, generating more platforms. Eventually, I reached the edge of the space and reached up to it, pulling myself up. I climbed inside of the building and then turned around to offer my hand to Lucky Girl. She took it and I pulled her in.

Once she was inside, I turned back around and began to walk around the room. The first thing I saw was the twisted nursery rhyme, etched onto the wall in red marker:

 _One is done,_

 _Two was fun,_

 _Three tried to run,_

 _Four called Mom,_

 _Five's not alive,_

 _Six is nix,_

 _Seven's in heaven,_

 _Eight won't wait_

I stared at shock at the wall.

"Yep, this is definitely our man." I said, as I walked over to a desk that was pushed up against the wall, being piled with all kinds of papers, charts and sticky notes, among other assorted objects.

I looked down at the a few of the sticky notes, to see that there were addresses on them. And I recognized every one of them. My address was on one, Gwen's on another, followed by J.T.'s, Cash's and pretty much everyone I knew.

"Jeez. This dude clearly has issues." I said, as I looked down at all of the addresses written down.

"Oh my God. Ben, what is that?" Lucky Girl asked, using my name and pointing at something.

I could have scolded her for using my name, but instead I looked at what she was pointing at. On the wall, next to the nursery rhyme, were eight pictures taped on the wall in a certain formation. And all of them were of people I knew.

There was a picture of Tracy Flanagan, Ned Hall, J.T., Cash, Kai, Ken, Me and Gwen. And all of the pictures had a number, with a circle around them. They were numbered as follows:

The picture of Ned had a one on it, the picture of Tracy Flanagan had a two on it, the picture of Cash had a three on it, the picture of J.T. had a four on it, the picture of Kai had a five on it, the picture of Ken had a six on it, my picture had a seven on it and lastly, Gwen's picture had an eight on it.

"What the fuck is going on around here?!" I whispered to myself.

Lucky Girl walked up to me and looked at me with fear.

"What the hell is all of this?" she asked. "Why the hell does he have pictures of us? Of me?!"

"Gwen," I gently said, using her name and putting my hands on her shoulders. "We're going to figure this out, I promise."

"Ahem." Someone clearing their throat interrupted us.

Gwen and I turned to the right to see that Sunny and Albedo had come in the way we did.

"What the hell is this place?" Albedo asked.

"We're trying to figure that out." I said. "But I'm pretty sure that this is his safehouse."

"His safehouse?" Sunny asked. "What do you mean?"

" _His_ safehouse." I said. "The Infinity Killer."

Albedo walked over to where I had been standing by the desk. He put his hands down onto the table and leaned down to look at everything. A few seconds after that, he looked up at all of the pictures of me, Gwen and our friends. He turned to look at me.

"What the fuck is all this?" he asked.

"It's us." I said. "We're his targets."

"But if that's true, then why aren't Sunny and I on this list of targets?" he asked.

"Why are you asking?" I asked. "You should be grateful that you aren't on his list of targets."

"I guess I am." He said.

"Well there you go, then." I said, as I looked back at the pictures.

"Ben?" Lucky Girl asked with caution.

I put my hand out to her.

"Hold on, I'm trying to think." I said. "There has to be a connection to the nursery rhyme and the pictures."

"There is no connection between the nursery rhyme and the pictures, Ben!" Albedo said. "This guy is off his meds! He's an asshat! He's a mad lad!"

"Mad lad?" I asked.

"It means someone that has lost their mind." Albedo said.

"No, I know what it means." I said. "I had just never heard you say it before, is all."

I looked back at the pictures, as I began to mutter to myself.

"One is done, two was fun, three tried to run, four called Mom, five's not alive, six is nix, seven's in heaven, eight won't wait." I said to myself.

"Ben?" Lucky Girl asked with caution once more.

I ignored her.

"Let's see. One is done. Ned Hall was given the number one, so does that mean he's the first victim?" I asked myself. "But it that's true, then how could he be the second victim that was found?

I began to pace back and forth.

"Two was fun. Tracy Flanagan is number two. What does it mean "two was fun"?" I asked myself. "He enjoyed killing her? No, what if it was rape and then he killed her? They did find her without any clothes on, after all."

"Ben, Gwen is trying to get your attention!" Sunny said.

I ignored her, too.

"Three tried to run. Cash was number three. He got away." I said to myself. "Four, five and six are obvious. J.T., Kai and Ken being dead. Nothing there."

"He's lost it." Albedo said. "He's in his own little world."

"Shut up, Albedo. You're not helping." Lucky Girl said.

"Seven's in heaven. I'm number seven. Am I "going to heaven" because I'm a good person?" I asked myself. "And eight won't wait. Gwen is number eight. What does it mean? That he can't wait to get to Gwen?"

"Ben, just slow down for a second! Talk to us!" Albedo said. "You're not making any fucking sense!"

I was about to say something, when it happened. I heard the most silent creak come from the floorboards behind me. Albedo, Lucky Girl and Sunny must not have heard it, because they didn't react at all. I sidestepped out of the way, but it was too late. Using a hunting knife, my unseen assailant was able to cut through the sleeve of my leather jacket, through the sleeve of the short sleeve shirt I wore under that, and finally through my skin on my arm.

"Ahh!" I let out a scream of pain, as I whirled around and kicked my assailant in the chest out of instinct.

The man fell backwards onto his back, into the next room over and let out a groan of pain he landed. We were all high tailing it to the window.

"Let's get out of here!" Lucky Girl asked, as she jumped from the window ledge and ran off on platforms made of mana.

Sunny jumped next, using her grappling hook to swing away. Albedo jumped out of the window as he activated the Dark Omnitrix and turned into Dark Stinkfly.

"Hop on dude!" he said, as I jumped onto his back. "Express elevator away!"

We took off towards Sunny and Lucky Girl, who were off in the distance now. I turned my head to check to see if we were being followed. We weren't.

 _How would he be able to follow us anyway? It wouldn't make sense!_

 _?_

I watched as my targets fled my hideout. I chuckled to myself as I lifted the hunting knife to my face, wet with Ben Tennyson's blood.

"Soon." I said, as I licked the blood off of the blade. "Soon."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's the chapter for today! I hope you guys enjoyed!

* Before I break stuff down, I just want to say that I had originally planned to update Cold Winter's Night today, if any of my readers remember that story or read that story. But I decided that I just want to finish the story and release all the chapters within the same time frame. So, I'm going to finish the story and until then, the story won't see an update.

* So, what do you think now that Ben is back in action? What do you think of the flashbacks, especially of the one where Ben and Kai got into a verbal fight? Why do you think the Infinity Killer is after Ben's friends, Gwen most specifically? I guarantee that you won't be able to find out, at least until the next chapter.

* What do you guys think of the dilemma between Ben and Sunny? Also, the "midget Fourarms" that Ben prevented from robbing a bank, I'll let you guys figure out who he is.

* The first scene that you'll see in the next chapter was originally intended to be used for this chapter, but was cut because I wanted this chapter to be shorter than it originally was.

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _elderscrolls master (Volume One, Chapter Three): This is really stupied why did he not turn in to an alien 8n front of gwen?_

Oh, okay. Um, I'm sorry that you think my story is stupid. And Ben didn't turn into an alien, because he was trying to ensure Gwen's safety. Gwen doesn't know about his identity, she can't try to help him and put herself in harm's way. He may have not been thinking that way, in the end, that is the short answer. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Sishen123 (Chapter Five): Ok i see your point but i like to let you know i like the story. Also looking back on what i was saying i can see how i lost you. I kind of messed up what i was writing. But what i was saying is that i think they brought kevin back to life the same way they brought steel back to life. But sense kevin had been dead longer than steel his mental stability had been degrading. So in turn he is like an insane zombie._

As much as I do enjoy fan theories about my story, there are times where I have to address the theories that are wrong. And I'm sorry to say that your theory is wrong, Sishen. Kevin _is_ dead. He wasn't brought back to life, he's just dead.

When Ben is seeing him, he's purely hallucinating. There's nothing more to it than that. I would be lying if I said that Kevin won't ever come back in the story in a flashback or other forms, but it's unlikely. But thank you for the review, as always.

 _org 13 is best (Chapter Five): I cant wait for the next chapter. Also im not sure why Sishen123 when on that whole explanation thing i just couldent think of anything when i made the account before i had planed to review at all and i started to help out a lot on a provide your characters story so it dident feel right to change it._

I'm glad that you were excited for this chapter, Org. Yeah, I didn't know why Sishen went on that tangent, either. You helped provide some of my characters story? Do you mind me asking you what you mean by that? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter Five): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

I'm glad you're enjoying the story, Jason. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Julie makes her re-introduction in the story. Ben and Gwen get into an argument. Ben comes face to face with the Infinity Killer.


	7. Chapter 82: The Infinity Killer: Part 2

Chapter 82: The Infinity Killer: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Two!

* Things are going to start getting crazy in this chapter, so be prepared for a few shocks along the way, starting in this chapter. Anyway, that's all I'm going to say, so let's get right into it!

 _Ben_

 _Half An Hour Later_

"You should have seen it, Julie!" I exclaimed, as the girl in question continued stitching the gash on my arm. "He was tall and skinny, with long, unkept black hair and I swear that he had pale, glowing green eyes!"

"Uh-huh." Julie said, as she continued stitching my gash, without looking up.

I looked at her.

"What, are you saying that you don't believe me?" I asked.

Julie looked up at me.

"Ben, you say a lot of weird things." She said. "You realize that, don't you?"

I looked at Julie still.

"I say things?" I asked. "Things like what?"

"You told me that you were shot." She said.

"But I _was_ shot." I protested.

"You said that were almost killed by a ghost that was obsessed with the idea of killing you." She said.

"But I _was_ almost killed by a ghost that was obsessed with the idea of killing me." I protested once more.

"Ben, sometimes I just can't help but to think that you're just bullshitting me." She said.

"Hey, never bullshit a bullshitter." I said.

"What are you saying, exactly?" she asked.

"I'm just joking, Julie." I said. "Look, I'm being nothing but serious with you! I'm not playing games with you!"

"Oh, you want to play games, do you Ben? Okay, listen closely. We could play "I could have you thrown in the looney bin"! Or we could play "I could call my landlord and tell him that you put a hole in the wall"!" she said. "Those are the types of games we could play! But instead, I choose to cooperate with you."

I looked at her for a solid few seconds.

"What was all that stuff about bullshitting you?" I asked. "If you thought that I was bullshitting you, then how is Cooper explained in all of this?"

Julie sighed.

"Please don't bring Cooper into this." She said.

"Why?" I asked. "What's wrong with Cooper?"

"Nothing, nothing." Julie said. "I just… I just… I just have had a hard time lately."

Gwen and I exchanged glances but said nothing. Eventually Julie looked up and spoke.

"Okay, I know how you are. You're Ben's clone or whatever." She said, pointing at Albedo. "But who are you?"

She was looking at Sunny now. I decided to answer for Sunny.

"Um, she's a clone of Gwen that was engineered to kill me." I said in the most awkward tone imaginable.

"And yet she's your friend now?" Julie asked.

No one spoke a word.

"You are truly an odd group of people." She said.

We all chuckled.

"See, Sunny really isn't my friend." I said. "More like a forced acquaintance."

"Fuck you." Sunny said.

"Anytime, anywhere." Albedo said.

Sunny chuckled.

"I was talking to you Albedo." She said, as she turned to look at him. "But on that happy note, I'd be more than happy to accept that invitation."

Suddenly, Sunny got closer to Albedo and he got closer to her. Julie didn't really notice, as she was busy stitching my wound. Sunny began kissing Albedo and he kissed her back, roughly. Albedo slammed her up against the wall and that finally got Julie's attention. She looked up from stitching my wound and noticed Sunny and Albedo.

"Um…" was all that came from her mouth.

Albedo reached up and put his hands on Sunny's chest. I knew that if they weren't stopped things would get much worse. See, that was the thing with Sunny and Albedo. Ever since Sunny joined us, Albedo never went full man-wolf again. That's what made Gwen and I think that Sunny was able to keep him under control.

However, there was an issue with them. They couldn't resist each other. If they ever got a chance to screw, they would. That always made me think that they weren't really in love, that it was just lust between the two. I looked at Gwen.

 _You gonna do something about that?_ I mouthed to her.

She immediately understood what I was getting at and walked up to Sunny and Albedo. She got in between them and pushed them apart.

"Okay, cool off you two!" she said. "Calm down, you aren't alone here!"

Sunny and Albedo's make out session was ended abruptly. Albedo looked at Gwen with annoyance.

"Oh, come on Gwen!" he exclaimed.

Gwen gave him an angry look.

"No! You aren't at home, you aren't in a private place!" Gwen said. "So, would it kill you to just keep it in your pants for once?!"

Sunny stepped up to Gwen.

"Don't talk to my boyfriend like that!" she exclaimed, pushing Gwen away.

I looked at Sunny with anger.

"Sunny, don't…" I began speaking but was interrupted.

"No!" Sunny said. "You shut your mouth, Tennyson!"

"Both of you, stop it!" Julie said. "I won't have you arguing, not it my apartment!"

We all looked back at her as we quieted down.

"That's better." She said. "Now, if you can hold still I might actually be able to stitch your wound."

I did as she told me and held still for the rest of the time. About five minutes later she told me that she was done and that I was free to go.

"Thank you as always, Julie." I said, as I put my shirt back on.

"Don't mention it." She said, as I pulled my leather jacket back on.

"If I can ever do anything in return, then don't be afraid to…" I was making an offer, but she cut me off.

"Ben, don't." she said, putting her hand up. "There's nothing that you could possibly do for me."

"But I want to help you for helping me!" I protested.

"You do too much! You put the costume back on when I mailed it back to you, that's something!" she said. "Why did you quit anyway?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I said as my face darkened. "Speaking of which, how did you get a hold of my costume? I dumped it into a trashcan!"

"Um, I think this is where I come in." Gwen said behind me.

I turned to face her.

"Gwen?" I asked. "There something you want to tell me?"

She let out a sigh.

"It was me." She said. "When you told us that you were considering giving up the Omnitrix, I called Julie and told her to keep an eye on you when you weren't home."

I just stared at her.

"That night, when you left, I was waiting, and I followed you." Julie started speaking again and I turned to face her. "Once you dumped your costume in that trashcan and once you were gone, I moved in and collected all of the pieces for safekeeping."

I was beyond shocked at this news. I turned to look at Gwen with a look of anger in my eyes. She actually looked scared as I gave her this look. I walked up to her and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Come with me." I said as I turned her around and steered her towards the door.

I opened the door to Julie's apartment with one hand and walked out with her, closing the door behind us. I gently pushed her up against the wall.

"You asked her to spy on me?" I asked. "That's a breach of trust, Gwen!"

She just looked at me.

"You asked her to spy on me, so you didn't trust me." I said. "Is that right?"

Gwen was silent.

"Ben…" she said, before her voice trailed off.

"Gwen, I never wanted to come back as Alien Guy! I never wanted to put this mask back on!" I said. "But I'm here now! And I'm going to do whatever it takes to ensure that this sick bastard won't kill any more people!"

"Do you realize what's wrong with Julie?" Gwen asked.

"Don't change the subject!" I said. "You didn't trust me enough to let me throw away the costume and the Omnitrix, so you had Julie keep an eye on me! You betrayed my trust and I'm not sure if I can forgive you."

She gave me an angry look.

"I did what I thought was best for you!" she said. "I wasn't going to let you quit, so I made sure that the costume stayed safe!"

"No, you betrayed my trust!" I said back.

"No, that's just what you think." She said, as she walked past me, looking at me as she went. "When you grow up, come find me and we'll talk."

I watched her go, as she turned her head away from me and kept walking. I let out a sigh as I looked down at the floor.

 _That Night_

I laid in bed next to Gwen that night, thinking to myself about how I was going to settle this mess. When we got back home today, Mom and Dad were back. After we had gotten back into my room and we changed out of our costumes, we came in through the front door and told them that we had gone for a walk. They didn't suspect a thing.

As I laid there, I noticed that I began to hear noises. Like, I could hear noises that I shouldn't have been able to hear. I heard police car sirens, people screaming, people talking amongst one another, all kinds of alarms going off and so much more. The Omnitrix _did_ give me an enhanced sense of hearing, but this was ridiculous.

I ignored it for as long as I could, but I eventually reached the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I rolled over to look at Gwen, who was on her side with her back to me. I scooted over towards her and gently put my arms around her, resting my hands on her bare stomach. She let out a sigh, reaching her hands up and gently gripping my forearms.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I was angry. I didn't mean it." I finally said. "I honestly don't think you'd ever breach my trust. If you think it was best for me to do what you did, that's okay."

She didn't say anything.

"Gwen?" I asked. "I said I was sorry."

"No, I heard you." She said, as she rolled over to face me, causing me to take my hands off of her. "I'm just having trouble deciding if I want to forgive you for all the shouting you did."

I just stared at her.

"Oh, come on, Gwen!" I said with surprise.

She sighed.

"Don't do that, Ben." She said.

"Don't do what?" I asked.

"Don't act so surprised when I say all of the same stuff you said to me." She said. "I gave you a chance to hear me out, but you wouldn't let me speak. So, don't be so surprised when I say that I'm not sure if I want to forgive you."

"But, Gwen…" I began to speak, but she interrupted me.

"Shh, stop it. Okay, just calm down." She said. "I'll probably forgive you at some point. I'm just tired and not in that great of a mood right now."

I smirked at her.

"I can fix that." I said, as I reached around to her back.

She gave me a look as I kissed her and attempted to unhook her bra. She pulled away from the kiss quicker than I had anticipated.

"Ben, no." she said, gently pushing me away.

I didn't take no for an answer. I gently got on top of her and kissed her. She returned the kiss without hesitation. Once I pulled away, I looked at her with affection.

"You know," I said. "We still have five condoms."

She smirked as she chuckled.

"You see five condoms, I see fifteen minutes of my life that I'll never get back." She said.

Full disclosure, that hurt. I just stared at her with shock, as she continued to smirk at me.

"W-Was I really that bad?" I asked with shock.

Suddenly, Gwen's eyes widened, and the smirk disappeared from her face.

"I was just kidding, Ben!" she said, as she looked up at me and as I got off of her. "You were great! You were well worth the wait!"

"Then why did you-" I was speaking when she interrupted me by pinching down on my cheek.

"I'm sorry. I tried to make a joke and now I see how bad it was." She said. "I shouldn't have made that joke. I'm sorry."

I just sat in silence for a while.

"Ben, if it makes any difference, if you'd want to do it, I'd love to anytime." Gwen said. "It's just the fact that this whole serial killer thing going on, I'm on edge. And not in a great mood, either."

I sat in silence for a while, before speaking.

"Earlier you asked me if I knew what was wrong with Julie. No, I don't." I said. "So, do you know what's wrong with her?"

Gwen was silent for a second or two, as she sat up.

"She's in love." Gwen said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She is?" I asked, turning to look at Gwen.

She nodded.

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"I could tell that I was madly in love with you, with Alien Guy, the first time I saw him." She said.

"Oh, so call it an intuition thing, huh?" I asked.

"I guess." Gwen said, as she shrugged.

"So, who is she in love with?" I asked.

"Can you take a guess?" Gwen asked.

I thought to myself for a minute or two. Then I looked at Gwen.

"It's Cooper, isn't it?" I asked.

She nodded.

"See, that wasn't so hard to figure out, now was it?" she asked. "It's the only logical explanation. She doesn't like anyone saying his name or even mentioning him."

"She could just dislike him." I said. "You do know that, right?"

"Maybe. But I don't think so." She said. "I really do think that she loves him."

"But how do you know?" I asked.

"Ben, I already told you, I-" she began talking, but cut herself off. "Look, I just know, okay? I know love when I see it."

"If you say so." I said, as I laid back down in bed.

I laid there for what seemed like hours, before sitting back up. I turned to look at Gwen, who was also still awake.

"Hey, I just can't sleep." I said. "So, I'm going to go out to look for leads on the Infinity Killer."

"I'll come with you." Gwen said, as she sat up in bed.

"Uh-uh." I said. "You're one of his main targets, Gwen. If something happened to you, I'd never be able to forgive myself!"

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Save the protective routine, Lover Boy." She said. "I can take care of myself. I'm going to go ask Sunny and Albedo if they want to come with us."

She got up and crawled over me to get off of the bed. She reached for her robe which hung from the back of the door and began putting it on.

"Why do you have to put that on?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to walk around the house in just my underwear." She said, as she tied the robe shut.

"But I like seeing you like that." I said.

Gwen shot me a look of disapproval.

"Yeah, you know, I don't think my parents would approve." She said. "I'll be right back."

With that, she left the room.

 _Gwen_

I walked down the stairs to the basement. I walked into the basement and towards Sunny and Albedo's room and knocked on the door. I waited for about a minute and nothing happened. So, I knocked again. After that, I heard a "God damn it" from inside, before hearing footsteps coming towards the door a few seconds later.

The door opened, and I saw Sunny, holding a bed sheet up in front of her with one hand, while using her other hand to hold the door open. She gave me a look of annoyance, before she spoke.

"What do you want?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"Um, am I interrupting something?" I asked.

Sunny rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you're interrupting _something_." She said through gritted teeth, before trying to close the door.

I blocked the door from closing and it opened again, while Sunny stared at me with a now angry look in her eyes.

"What?!" she asked in an angry voice.

"Ben and I are going out to look for leads on the Infinity Killer." I said. "Are you guys coming?"

Before she could answer, I heard Albedo speak.

"Sunny, come back to bed!" he called out.

Sunny turned her head to look in his direction.

"I'll be right there, honey!" she said, before looking back at me.

She then closed the door in my face, locked it and all without saying a word to me. I let out a sigh, as I turned my back to the door.

"Nice talking to you, too." I whispered to myself as I moved back to the stairs.

I walked up the stairs and back into the hallway leading to the kitchen. I walked through the house to Ben's old room, which would eventually become his sister's room. I opened the door and walked in, closing it behind me to see Ben had already gotten half of his costume on.

"Well?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Are they coming?"

I shook my head, even though he wouldn't be able to see it with his back turned to me.

"No. They'd rather stay here and fuck." I quietly said.

Ben shook his head in disapproval as he put his black short sleeved shirt on.

"Typical teenagers." He said.

"Um, hello?" I asked. "What are we?"

"Hey, at least I can keep it in my pants." He quietly said.

"I don't know, can you?" I asked as I chuckled.

I just turned to look at her.

"Sorry." She said, with a sheepish expression, as she took off her robe. "I'm going to change, do you mind?"

"What I can't look?" I asked. "I've seen, well, you!"

She gave me an irritated look.

"Yeah, but I don't feel comfortable with you looking!" she said.

"Fine, fine." I said, as I turned around. "I won't look."

I turned around and waited for her to be done. I heard cloth hit the floor and was so tempted to look, but I didn't. Eventually after a minute or two, she tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and was about to speak, when she kissed me. As we kissed, I put my hands on her sides and pulled her close. She put her arms around my neck as we continued to kiss.

Eventually, we pulled away to look at each other.

"Hey, I know that you don't want me to come along, alright?" she asked. "But I can take care of myself! I'll be fine, I promise!"

"I-, Okay." I said, as I turned back away from her.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

Lucky Girl and I sat on a roof, watching the abandoned tenement building that the Infinity Killer was living in. We had been watching the building for maybe ten minutes or so.

"Nothing." I said. "I haven't seen anyone come in or out in the last ten minutes."

"Wow, I didn't know." Lucky Girl said.

I gave her a look of annoyance.

"Sorry." She said.

I turned back to look at the building before I spoke.

"Okay, we've waited long enough." I said. "Let's go in."

Lucky Girl stood up next to me.

"I'll patrol the ground for a bit, allow you to search the top floor." She said. "If there's anyone down there, I'll see them."

She was about to move, but I grabbed her wrist. She looked back at me with confusion.

"No." I said. "I want you beside me, at all times. I need you up there with me. If he's down there and something happens to you, I'd never forgive myself."

She sighed, as she looked at me.

"Ben, I'll be fine." She whispered to me, before turning around.

She then ran off, using platforms of hot pink mana to get down. I let out a sigh of anger as I watched her go.

 _Don't worry. One day we'll get her._

There was that voice in my head again. It was the Omnitrix's voice. I knew that now. I had known that for a long time now.

"You know, I never missed the sound of your voice." I whispered out loud.

I didn't hear anymore voices in my head after that.

 _Who was I kidding? Maybe this was all bullshit, Maybe I had gone off the deep end. Maybe I was just imagining the voices and Grandpa Max was wrong about the Omnitrix. Maybe it never was alive. Whatever it was, I couldn't know for sure._

I finally lifted my hand and fired my wrist gauntlet at the windowless frame on the building. Once I swung over to the building, I stuck to the side of it and began to climb up to the window, retracting my cable as I did. I climbed up through the window and looked around. There were lit candles, sitting out all around the room. Before I could even do anything, I heard a voice.

"I knew you would come back." The voice said.

As soon as I heard the voice, the blood in my veins ran cold. The voice sounded so familiar and I knew exactly where I had heard it before. I was just hoping that I was wrong about it.

"Turn around. Slowly." The voice said. "And take off your mask. I want to talk to you face-to-face."

I did as he said. I slowly turned to face him. And that's when it finally hit me. I was right. The person I was staring at, I did know them. I knew _him_. It was the mugger. Remember the guy who tried to assault Gwen in the park last summer, before we got together? Well, I was looking at him. He was the Infinity Killer!

It all made sense now.

"You." I finally said, getting over my fear. "I should have known it was you. It all makes sense now. Why you're targeting my friends and family. Why you're targeting _her, Gwen_. So, what? You going to kill me and then you'll have the time of your life with her, before you kill her? I'm right, right? Tell me I'm right! Tell me I'm-"

"Shut your fucking mouth, Ben." The homeless guy said. "Shut your mouth before I kill you right here and right now."

I did as I was told.

"Now here's how this is going to work. I'm going to kill you." The homeless guy said. "Not today, not tomorrow, but I will kill you. And you're going to let me kill you."

"Why?" I asked. "What did I ever do to you, homeless guy?"

He didn't seem phased at all by what I had said to him.

"What did you do to me? What did you do?!" he asked, as he got closer to me. "You took that girl from me! From _me_! You had no right!"

"Yeah, I did." I said. "If I hadn't of done what I did, she'd be dead now. Or worse."

"Or worse?" he asked as he chuckled. "What's worse than death?"

"What? Would you have kept her as your _sex slave_?" I asked. "Are you really that fucked up in the head?"

"Don't tell me what I am!" he said in an aggressive tone. "I might've kept her as a slave before killing her. Who knows?"

"Because that's just who you are?" I asked.

He chuckled.

"You know me too well, Ben." He said.

I thought to myself for a second.

"You got a name, homeless guy?" I asked.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, as his eyes pulsed pale green.

That's when it hit me as well. He was the one at the window last week, that one night. He was the one who had slammed his hand up against the window, scaring the crap out of me.

"What did you just ask me?" he asked.

"I asked you if you have a name. I felt guilty calling you "homeless guy"." I said. "So, do you, homeless guy?"

He looked at me.

"Yeah, I _had_ a name." he said. "Before my life was ruined, by you. You screwed up my life. I don't have a life anymore."

I shook my head.

"No. I didn't have anything to do with your life before all this. You could have been a business man, an entrepreneur, or whatever." I said. "Whatever caused it, maybe you turned to alcoholism, drugs, maybe petty thievery. Whatever it was, I had nothing to do with this. Now, what's your name?"

He looked down at the ground, before looking up.

"Clancy." He said. "My name was Clancy."

"No, that's still your name, Clancy." I said. "Whatever this is, it has to stop. I can call S.E.C.T., as much as I don't want to, and I'll see to it that you get the-"

Clancy put his hand out, interrupting me.

"I already told you once to shut your God damn mouth, so why don't you do it?" he asked.

I stayed silent.

"Thank you." He said at last.

We stood there in silence for a while. He didn't speak at all. In fact, he was probably thinking about how he was going to make my life a living hell. That's when I had had it with this guy.

"You know what? Fuck this and fuck you, Clancy." I said. "I'm leaving."

I turned around to leave through the entrance that I had came in through, when he spoke.

"I can't let you leave. At least not yet." He said. "Besides, didn't you read my poem?"

I turned around to face him.

"Your poem? You mean that twisted nursery rhyme of yours?" I asked. "Don't call it a poem, because it's not art. Call it what it is. It's sick and so are you."

"Pay attention, Ben." He said, ignoring my words. "Because you're gonna love this."

I rolled my eyes and watched him none the less. He put his arms out a few feet from his body and spread his legs a couple of feet apart from one another. That's when I noticed his body beginning to change.

"One is done." He said, as something big and jet black began to crawl up his leg.

I watched in utter terror and shock at what was about to unfold.

"Two was fun." He said, as something big and red crawled up his other leg.

"Three tried to run." He said, as something blue and yellow appeared on both of his hands, beginning to crawl up his arms.

"Four called Mom." He said, as his arms become completely consumed by the blue and yellow mass.

"Five's not alive." He said, as something yellow and black crawled up the low portion of his torso.

"Six is nix." He said, as his torso got completely covered.

I don't know why, but I could have sworn that he was covered in bugs now.

"Seven's in heaven." He said, before he was completely covered by bugs, if that's what they were.

I watched, as the bugs covered his entire face. Clancy was now tall, his muscle increased significantly. He had talon like nails on each finger. Along with the mixture of yellows, blues, reds and blacks that now made up his body, he had glowing yellow eyes, with a large mouth and fangs.

"Eight won't wait." He said in demonic voice.

My eyes widened with shock.

 _Lord, help me!_

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter!

* What do you guys think of the revelation, that Clancy, the homeless guy who attempted to assault Gwen, is the Infinity Killer? And also, he's this universe's version of that guy who could control bugs from the original first season of the show?

* What do you think of Julie's reappearance in the story? Was it selfish of Sunny and Albedo to want to rather stay home then go with Ben and Gwen?

* Anyway, that's all for now. I'm going to go, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _org 13 is best (Chapter Six): Im liking the way this arc is going already i don't know why but these are my favorite villain setups. I think it's the mystery or the suspense. As for the story thing in my last comment i realize i wrote that weird, what i ment is that i found a story where the author wanted the readers original characters and ideas that he might use to improve on his story with._

Thank you for the review, Org. I'm glad that you're enjoying this arc so far and I hope that I did not disappoint with this chapter. Once again, I hope that I didn't disappoint with the reveal of the Infinity Killer's identity. You know, with it turning out that the Infinity Killer is the mugger who attempted to assault Gwen early on in the series and not only that, but he's also Clancy from the original series? I hope that I did that reveal in a good way.

I get what you're saying now. I've used my reader's ideas a few times and I probably will continue to do that. Here's an example: It was originally Car45 who came up with the backstory for Ben 11 in the Omniverse story arc (if you were reading my story back then). Like I said before, that probably will not be the last time I use my readers' ideas for the ever growing storyline. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter Six): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Glad to see that you're enjoying the story still, Jason. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Sishen123 (Chapter Six): Ok just to let you know (org 13 is best) i was just trying to let you know im a fan too sorry. But anyway just wanted to let you know what was on my mind with the hole kevin idea. Also i enjoyed the chapter if i was ben i am not sure how i would have handled sunny's idea of a prank but i can tell you it would not be pretty._

Thank you for the review Sishen, I'm glad you liked the chapter. Don't be sorry about either one my friend. I like it when my readers theorize about my story. That's just it, about it not being pretty with Ben and Sunny. This basically changed nothing between Ben and Sunny, besides the fact that he hates and distrusts her even more than he already had.

Who knows? It will probably take a while for Ben and Sunny to eventually be able to trust one another and be able to call each other "friend". And to be honest, with events that will come later in this Volume, it may take them longer to become friends. Ooo, see that? That's a tease.

Next Chapter: Ben and Clancy are at odds. Ben and Julie face a dilemma. Ben considers the options he has to stop Clancy.


	8. Chapter 83: The Infinity Killer: Part 3

Chapter 83: The Infinity Killer: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Three, as well as Part Three of this story arc!

* In this chapter, Ben and Clancy, the Infinity Killer, will be facing off for the first time. And you readers will be seeing just how twisted Clancy's mind really is. So, with that being said, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I stared at Clancy, who was now completely covered, head to toe, in bugs. He was also easily a couple feet taller than me now. I took one step back, out of fear and that's all I had time to do. In this form, Clancy was much faster than I was. He began beating his chest, before dropping onto all fours and charged at me faster than I could have gotten away.

He pushed me down upon getting to me, wrapped his fingers around my throat and pulled me back up, before smashing me through a damaged wooden wall. Once I was on the ground, he pulled me back up and smashed the front of my face into an old mirror, destroying it in the process.

He then threw me across the room, back in front of the open window. Before I could get back up, he pounced on top of me. And that's when I felt his talon nails digging into the front of my chest. I let out a hiss of pain as he did that. He let out a hiss, as I saw the talons on his other hand grow in length, as he brought them closer to my face.

That's when he stopped. Now his talons were right in front of my eyes, but he wasn't doing anything. It was just silent between the two of us now. I finally got sick of the silence and spoke.

"Do it! Just do it!" I screamed at him. "Do it now! Just kill me already!"

He just kept his hand where it was at, before withdrawing his hand at last.

"No, we're not going to kill you." He said. "Not yet. We'll make you suffer first."

"Suffer?" I asked in pain. "How could you possibly make me suffer?"

"The clever warrior neither attacks the body nor the mind." He said.

"You care to speak English?" I asked.

"The heart, idiot!" he exclaimed. "First, we'll attack your heart!"

I stared up at him.

"Jesus, my enemies really need to stop being inspired by Spider-Man villains." I said. "This is starting to get old."

"You'll see us everywhere." He snarled. "Even in your nightmares!"

He stared down at me.

"Remember last summer, Ben?" he asked. "You should have let me have the girl!"

"If I let you have her, then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." I said. "You'd be in prison right now. And it's Gwen. Her name is _Gwen_."

He lifted my head up from the floor and smashed the back of my head into the floor. I let out a grunt of pain, as I looked up at him.

"You know, everything you're doing, the murders, stalking us, obsessing over Gwen, _my_ Gwen," I spoke. "It goes against everything I believe in. So, I have to ask. What do you believe in, Clancy?"

The bugs on his face retracted and I could see his human face once more.

"I believe that whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger." He said.

After he finished speaking, the bugs returned to cover his face back up. He smiled an evil grin at me, before he opened his mouth. Out came a long and slimy black tongue, which he used to lick the front of my face.

 _Okay, now I felt like I was going to be sick._

Just then, I heard a voice.

"Hey, Ben!" I heard Lucky Girl call. "Oh, fuck!"

Clancy turned his head to look at her and roared with rage at her.

"Hey, don't look at her!" I exclaimed. "Look at me!"

I punched him in the jaw as hard as I could. He turned his head back to me, raising one of his arms to strike and roared. I took the opportunity that I saw, him having his mouth open. I kicked into his mouth as hard as I could. That pissed him off. He reared upwards and fell off of me, as he let out a pained roar. I got up from the floor and put on my mask, holding the wound in my chest as I did.

He seemed to be wheezing in pain, but I wasn't going to stay to make sure.

"Come on, let's go!" Lucky Girl called.

I ran and jumped out the window with Lucky Girl and began to swing away.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Julie's Apartment_

Julie let out a sigh of frustration as she continued to stitch the wound on my chest.

"Just say it." I said.

Julie remained quiet as she stitched me up. I stared at her, waiting for her to speak. She did not.

"Julie." I said. "If you have something to say, then just say it. Please!"

She looked up at me, as she pulled on the suture too hard, causing me to hiss in pain.

"Jesus, Julie!" Gwen replied.

"Why?" she asked me with anger.

"Because I want to hear if you have something to say." I said in a confused tone. "What's the…"

"I'm not talking about why you want to know." She said, as she remained angry. "I'm asking why did you have to get hurt again?"

I just stared at her in shock.

 _Did she actually care about me? Was she worried about me?_

"Julie, I…"

"Ben, shut up!" she exclaimed with anger.

Gwen and I both stared at her with shock and confusion. She stared down at the floor, before looking back up at me, still having an angry expression on her face.

"You know, for a self-proclaimed superhero, you suck at your job!" she said.

I was taken back by shock.

"I'm doing all I can." I said. "I don't…"

"No, you're not." She said, giving me an angry look. "You let two, nearly three people die and every time you go out there, you come to me, bruised up or cut up. Face it Ben, one day you won't be able to get to me for help! You're a pathetic excuse for a hero!"

"Hey, don't call him that!" Gwen exclaimed.

"No, don't interrupt me!" Julie said. "I'm not finished!"

She looked at me with anger and now, I returned that gaze.

"What the hell do you know about being a superhero, Julie?" I asked. "You don't even know the things that have happened to me, the things I've _lost_ to get back here!"

"Okay, then tell me what things have happened to you!" she said.

"Why do you care?" I asked angrily.

She just looked at me with anger.

"Fine." She said. "I don't care!"

"Guys let's not do this. Let's just keep a level head." Gwen said. "Let's all calm down a bit, okay? We're all stressed because of the…"

"Gwen, stop talking." I said with anger. "I want to hear what she has to say to me. Julie?"

Julie said nothing as she continued tending to my wound.

"Speak when you're spoken to." I said with frustration.

She looked back up at me with anger on her face, once again.

"I'm being honest. I don't care what you've been through, Ben." She said. "There is no excuse for what you did. You stood by and watched two people get murdered, almost three people, actually."

"You already said that." I said.

"I hate that you come here. Honestly, I really do. You go out and it never changes." She said. "You get beaten up, bruised or cut up and I have to fix it. What will it take for you to learn that you can't be reckless? It's because you're reckless and that you probably don't know what you're doing, that you always get messed up and then Julie the Medic has to fix you. That's all I am to you. I know it. I'm not stupid."

I just stared at her out of pure shock.

"Hey, the first time I met Sunny, she stabbed me in the stomach. Now this is before we were allies, and I still can't say that we're really allies, but it happened. She did stab me." I said. "And I didn't come to you. You weren't available. So, I went to my Grandpa Max and he patched me up!"

"I don't care." Julie said almost immediately.

I just stared at her with anger, as well as shock, as she continued stitching the wound in my chest. Eventually, I couldn't handle it anymore.

"Okay, bandage me up." I said.

"I'm not done stitching your wound." Julie said.

"I don't care." I said. "Just start bandaging it up."

"Whatever." She said, as she dropped the suture and thread on the desk that I was sitting on.

She began bandaging me up and once she was done, she looked back up at me with a questioning look on her face.

"Now what…" she began speaking, but I interrupted her by pushing her away from me.

"What the hell, Ben?" Gwen asked with a serious tone of voice.

I got down from the desk and put my shirt back on, along with my leather jacket.

"Is this want you want?" I asked Julie, ignoring Gwen. "For me to leave you alone?"

"Yes, I want you to leave. I want you to figure out whatever it is you're doing wrong about this superhero gig and fix it." She said. "Stop getting hurt. Stop coming to me for help. I'm always the person you come to. Certainly there's other people out there who can help you just as good, if not better than I can. I won't be around forever."

I looked at her and nodded for several seconds, as I pulled on my gloves, along with my wrist gauntlets.

"Okay." I said, as I grabbed my mask and walked to the door to her apartment. "Okay."

"What do you mean okay?" Julie asked as she followed me. "What does "okay" mean?"

I turned to face her with a look of anger on my face.

"I get it, Julie. You don't want me always coming to you for help. I'm a waste of time, aren't I?" I asked. "I can take a hint, you didn't have to be so mean about it. From now on I'll go to my Grandpa Max or someone who'd actually _want_ to help me. With that being said, I'll be going."

I opened the door to her apartment and was about to walk out when she spoke.

"Wait, Ben! I didn't mean it like that!" she said. "I just want you to do better! I want you to stop getting hurt so easily! You're my friend, Ben!"

I stopped for a second, but it didn't take long for me to start moving again.

"I hope you have a good life." I said, before walking out the door.

"Ben, get back here!" Gwen said, as she came after me.

Once she was out in the hall with me, I spoke regarding Julie.

"Stupid bitch." I whispered as I started walking away.

"Hey, that was uncalled for, Ben!" Gwen said, as she caught up with me.

I turned to look at her with anger.

"What? The way she talked to me like that?" I asked with anger. "She had no right! She doesn't know what we've been through! She didn't…"

Gwen interrupted me by slapping me in the cheek. I looked at her with shock, as she spoke before I could.

"No, _you_ were an ass! You didn't have to say anything, you just had to keep your mouth shut and you didn't!" she said. "She may have fired the shots first and you may not have deserved what she said, but you had no right talking to her like that!"

"Oh, come on, Gwen!" I said, as she walked off.

She didn't answer, so I had to ask.

 _Did I really mess up?_

 _A Few Hours Later_

Once again, I laid in bed with Gwen. And once again, she laid on her side of the bed with her back to me. I scooted closer to her and didn't get a reaction out of her.

"Gwen." I said her name, as I reached out and gently put my hand on her shoulder.

She didn't respond.

"Gwen." I said her name once more, as I gently rubbed her shoulder.

She still didn't respond. I finally let out a sigh, as I rolled over onto my back, facing away from her. I tried to go to sleep now. All of a sudden, she began to move from her spot next to me.

"What the…" I spoke, as she crawled over me.

She didn't stop moving, she kept crawling until she was off of the bed.

"Gwen, what are you…" I began to speak as I saw her standing by the bed, before she interrupted me.

"I'm going to go sleep on the couch downstairs." She said, before leaving the room without another word to me.

I sighed as I sat up in the bed, alone. For some reason I got the feeling that I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

 _The Next Morning_

I woke up the next morning, after getting less than four hours of sleep. I let out a tired sigh, as I got up from the bed. I moved over to the closet and opened it, looking for a shirt to wear. Since Gwen and I shared a room now, we shared the closet. It wasn't that great, seeing as the closet was stuffed with all of my shirts and all of her shirts, but there was some talk about Dad buying us a dresser to put into our room once the baby was born.

I picked a random T-shirt and put it on. I walked towards the door, opened it and walked out of the bedroom, and towards the living room. I saw Gwen sitting on the couch, watching T.V.

"Good morning." I said.

She just grunted in response.

"You still mad about last night, huh?" I asked.

She didn't respond in anyway this time, she just looked away from me.

"So, what, you're giving me the silent treatment now?" I asked.

Gwen didn't respond.

"Alright then." I said, as I moved into the kitchen.

As I moved into the kitchen, I saw a note on the kitchen table. I walked over to it and picked it up.

 _Ben,_

 _I had to go run a few errands for work. Your mother had to go to a doctor's appointment for the baby. We'll be back in a few hours._

 _Dad_

 _Okay,_ I thought to myself. _It's a pleasant day so far._

I walked towards the basement stairs, without another word to Gwen. I walked down the stairs and into the basement, towards the storage room.

"Good morning." I heard Albedo say.

I was about to return the greeting, when I heard the voice in my head.

 _Don't. He doesn't deserve to hear your greeting. He could have come to back you guys up, but he and Sunny would rather stay behind and 69 each other. You could have died and he refused to help. Do you really believe that he deserves your greeting?_

"Fuck you." I said out loud, as I walked into the storage room.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Albedo said, as I heard him get up to follow me.

I turned around and he eventually appeared in the doorway.

"I said "fuck you"." I replied. "Was I somehow not clear?"

"No, you were." He said. "But why? What did I do to you?"

"You weren't with Gwen and I last night." I said. "You could have come with us, but you'd rather stay here with Sunny and fuck!"

"Okay, so maybe that was my decision." He said. "But I enjoyed it and besides, you didn't die, did you? Did you?!"

"You son of a bitch!" I exclaimed, as I punched him in the jaw.

"Hey!" Sunny exclaimed, as she got up off the couch, probably to come hit me back.

That's when I heard Gwen coming down the stairs. She got down just in time to witness Sunny getting her hands around my neck, beginning to shake me.

"Alright, alright, people!" she said as she pushed us apart. "Let's see if we can't calm down and figure out what the problem here is!"

"He punched me in the face and threatened me!" Albedo exclaimed.

"You weren't there for us and I almost died!" I exclaimed, pointing at him. "What's your point?!"

Before Albedo could answer, Gwen beat him to it.

"Oh, so that's what this is about?" she asked, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

I turned to look at her.

"Yes, that's what this is about!" I said. "Do you not remember last night? How you told me that they'd rather stay here and fuck, then come and help us? You remember how I almost died?"

"You couldn't have almost died!" Albedo said. "You look fine to me."

"Hey asshole, the Omnitrix endows me with a healing factor, remember?" I asked. "I took a beating for sure, but I recovered quickly."

"What is your problem?" he asked with confusion.

"My problem? What is my problem?" I asked. "You know what? Fine. If you and Sunny would rather fuck then come and help us, that's fine. But would it kill you to check in from time to time? I could have died last night!"

"Stop being such a pussy." He said.

I stared at him with anger and he stared back at me. I think he knew what I was going to do.

"That's it." I said as I walked up to him, ready to punch him in the jaw.

Sunny beat me to it. She got in front of me and pushed me into the air hockey table.

"Stay away from him!" she exclaimed.

"Stop it!" Gwen exclaimed.

We all looked at her in silence.

"That's better." She said. "And he's not lying, Albedo. He could have died last night, if it weren't for me."

"What?" he asked. "What happened?"

"I was attacked by the Infinity Killer." I said. "After I came face to face with him."

"You came face to face with him?" Albedo asked with shock. "You know what he looks like?"

"Yes, I seen what he looks like!" I said.

"Well, who is he?" Albedo asked. "Is he someone we know?"

I thought about for a second.

"Albedo, how many of my memories do you have?" I asked.

"Um, all of them up until the point of my birth, I think?" he asked. "Why?"

"Do you remember the homeless guy?" I asked. "The guy who tried to sexually assault Gwen?"

"Vaguely, yeah." He said. "Why?"

I took a breath before speaking once more.

"It's him." I said. "The Infinity Killer is the homeless guy. Clancy. His name is Clancy."

Albedo looked at me with shock.

"What?" he asked.

I just nodded in response.

 _Later That Day_

"So, what are we going to do?" Albedo asked.

I didn't answer.

"Clancy! What are we going to do about Clancy?" he asked again.

"What can we do?" I asked. "I have to give him what he wants."

"No, we can't do that!" he said. "That's insane!"

"No, it isn't!" I said. "For the first time in a long time, it's the sanest thing that I can I do."

"No, Albedo's right." Gwen said. "This _is_ insane! I won't let you give that guy what he wants!"

"You guys don't get it do you? There's no other choice!" I said. "The thing about Clancy is that he can't be bargained with, he can't be reasoned with, he doesn't feel pity or remorse. And he will absolutely never stop, not until I'm dead."

Albedo smirked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You do realize that's what Kyle Reese said in the original Terminator, right?" he asked. "Or something like that."

"You know what I have to do." I said.

"Ben?" Gwen asked with fear.

"You _know_ what I have to do." I said, as I looked down.

"What…" Sunny began to speak but she cut herself off.

"I have to let Clancy kill me." I said.

 _Author's Note:_

* Okay, let's think for a minute. Do you actually think that Ben means that? Or is he keeping his real plan to himself?

* Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter! What did you guys think the first confrontation between Ben and Clancy? And the argument between Ben and Julie? After that fight, I will admit that she will be absent from the story for a while.

* Albedo and Ben had an argument in this chapter. Was the whole thing justified? Anyway, I'm going to go though. So, have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _org 13 is best (Chapter 82): Safe to say i wasent expecting Clancy. I like when writers dont forget a one off character and give them some development._

Thanks for the review, Org. Yeah, I always thought that Clancy was more of a throw away villain in the original series. I wanted him to come out as more threatening in my take of the series and this was the final cut. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 82): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks for the review, as usual Jason. Glad to know that you're enjoying the story still. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben begins to formulate a plan and pays a visit to Cooper. Kai finds herself in danger.


	9. Chapter 84: The Infinity Killer: Part 4

Chapter 84: The Infinity Killer: Part Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Four!

* In this chapter, as I had said previously, Ben will begin to formulate a plan. I can't really say much more than that, because you know, spoilers. I wouldn't want to spoil the chapter for you guys before you could even read it!

* But anyway, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Mid-November_

Everyone looked at me. They all had the same looks on their faces. It was shock; all of them were shocked that I would say such a thing.

"Ben, can I ask you a question?" Albedo asked.

"Go ahead." I said as I nodded.

"Okay, I want to put this as bluntly as I can." He said. "Ready? Are you fucking stupid?"

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"You heard me." He said. "Do you really think that letting that sorry sack of inhuman shit kill you is the best solution?"

I said nothing as they all continued to stare at me.

"Oh yeah, he's lost it." Albedo said.

"You guys just don't understand. When I first met him in that park, when he tried to forcefully take Gwen from me, I saw a wild look in his eyes. Last night that look was worse." I said. "So, I'm thinking if I give him what he wants, you know, killing me? Maybe he won't come after Gwen. What else am I to do, anyway?"

"Kill him." Sunny said. "From what I've heard, he deserves it."

"We don't kill." I said. "Because if we did, all of the villains that enjoy torturing, pillaging, murdering and everything else? We'd be no different…"

"Don't give me your "we don't kill" bullshit." Sunny said, interrupting me. "If I had it my way, I'd kill every villain, thug and petty thief we came across."

"Well it's a good thing that you aren't in charge then, isn't it?" I asked.

Sunny gave me an angry look.

"In charge? Is that really what you think you are? Our leader?" she asked. "I mean, a couple days ago, you wouldn't have even have dreamed of putting the costume back on! So, who made you the leader? I think Gwen would make a better leader than you! Or better yet, why not make me the leader? I think I'd do better than the two of you combined! Do I get any votes?"

"You're really challenging me?" I asked. "In my house?"

"What, do you have a problem with that?" she asked.

"I'd just as soon throw you to the wolves for that comment, just as I had allowed you to live here." I said.

"I'd honestly like to see you try." Sunny said as she took a step closer to me.

Albedo got in between us before things could escalate further than they already had.

"Okay, stop it now." He said. "Let's not do something that we'll regret later."

Sunny and I both stared at each other with hatred, before she backed up away from me.

"Thank you." Albedo said.

Gwen walked past me, towards the stairs without saying anything to me and I didn't need to be told that the look of shock was still on her face.

"Gwen, wait!" Albedo said, as he walked up the stairs after that.

That left Sunny and I both alone in the basement. We both stared at each other, before she spoke.

"Shut up." She said, before she walked towards her and Albedo's room. "And fuck you."

"Right back at you." I said, before turning around to head upstairs.

 _A Few Hours Later_

I sat on the bed in Gwen and I's room. I was still figuring out how I was going to pull this off. There was a certain amount of lies told earlier. I had a real plan, but I couldn't let them know what my plan was, in fear of it being jeopardized. I got off of the bed, finally realizing what I could do.

I walked towards the basement stairs and down to the basement, I walked towards the door to Sunny and Albedo's room and knocked. After a few seconds, I heard Sunny's voice on the other side.

"Come on in." she said.

I opened the door and walked in. As soon as she saw me, as usual, an angry look appeared on her face.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Look," I said as I stepped into the room. "I know that we don't get along that well, but I came to ask a favor of you."

"What?" she asked as she sighed.

"I'm going to go out for a while. I need to get some stuff I need for my plan." I said. "I need you and Albedo to make sure that Gwen doesn't come after me. I want to make sure she stays safe."

"So, you lied about everything you said, didn't you?" Sunny asked, ignoring my request.

"Sunny, please…" I tried to get a sentence out, but she interrupted me.

"You know what? No. Fuck you, Ben!" she said. "If you did actually lie to us, which I'm pretty sure that you did, you don't deserve our help! You want to stop Gwen from following, you can do it yourself! We're not your damn errand boys!"

I stood there as I stared back at her in shock.

"Now get the fuck out of my room." She said.

I turned around and I walked out of her room, with a look of shock still on my face.

"Hey, shut the door behind you!" she exclaimed.

I stopped in my tracks.

"Like you said, do it yourself!" I said.

After I said that, I walked back up the basement stairs.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

I had gone to the grocery store first, as that's where I was going to get a few items for my plan. Said items being a few cans of bug spray, along with sprays that would kill ants and spiders. When I got to check out and put all of the cans on the counter, the cashier gave me a weird look.

"You having bug problems at this time of year?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"It's usually a summer thing." I said. "I just want to be stocked up for next year."

The weird expression on her face didn't go away.

"I get the ant spray, but spider killer?" she asked.

"We deal with a lot of spiders in the summer." I lied.

"What kinds of spiders?" she asked.

"Um, Brown Recluse, Black Widows, Wolf Spiders." I said. "Mainly those three."

"Maybe you need an exterminator." She said, as she rang me up.

"Believe me, we've tried." I said, as I handed her the money from my wallet. "It didn't work out."

"Well don't let me keep you." She said, as she handed me the plastic bag that they were put in. "Here you go. Have a good one."

I took the bag from her and walked out of the store.

 _Later_

I swung through the city, towards Cooper's warehouse on the waterfront. He's the one who could put this together. That's when I heard screaming from below me. I looked down and was surprised by what I saw. I was low enough to see who was screaming. It was Kai and she was being attacked by Clancy.

"Somebody help me!" she screamed.

I watched as all of the people around her ran in the opposite direction. I let out a sigh, as I retracted my grapple line. I dove towards the street and fired my wrist gauntlet once more and swung towards Kai. I swung right past Clancy, wrapped my arm around Kai's waist and then arced fired my other wrist gauntlet.

"Don't worry lady, I gotcha!" I said, as I began to swing on the grapple lines once again. "You're safe now!"

I grappled up to the top of a building and turned my head to look behind us. As expected, Clancy had transformed into his bug form and was right behind us.

"Shit." I cursed as I jumped off of the roof with my arm still around Kai, which caused her to scream with worry.

"Let go of me!" she exclaimed as she tried to force her way out of my grip.

"Do you really want me to let go of you?! A fall from this height could kill a person!" I said. "How grateful are you, lady?"

I fired my wrist gauntlet at another building and zipped in it's direction, which caused Clancy to narrowly miss me.

Kai let out another scream right into my ear as Clancy missed us.

"Calm down lady!" I exclaimed as I adjusted my trajectory. "I'm doing the best I can!"

"Swing or do whatever it is you're doing faster!" she screamed.

"You think you'd be nicer to the person saving your life!" I said as I grappled once again.

"Just shut up and go!" Kai exclaimed as I narrowly dodged Clancy once again.

 _Wow, Kai was a bitch to Ben Tennyson and she's also a bitch to Alien Guy. Who knew?_

I finally grappled onto the roof of another building and put Kai down.

"Go hide behind one of the air conditioning units!" I said. "Hurry!"

Thankfully, she didn't question me. She went and hid behind one of the air conditioning units just like I had told her. No more than five or so seconds later, Clancy landed in front of me.

"Where is she?" he asked immediately after landing. "You won't keep me from my prey."

I shuddered as he said that.

 _Sounds like a predator,_ I thought.

"You won't get to her." I said. "She's long gone."

"And you think you can stop me?" he asked as he stalked closer.

"Yes, I do." I said as I dialed up the Omnitrix.

I transformed into Diamondhead and was surprised to see that after the transformation, he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" I asked myself.

Then Kai asked the same question.

"Where'd he go?" she asked.

I turned to face her.

"I told you to stay hidden." I said.

"Well I don't see him anywhere." She said. "Do you?"

 _Damn. She really isn't showing any gratitude for me basically saving her life just now._

"No." I said. "But I didn't tell you that you could come out, did I?"

"Friendly, aren't you?" she asked.

"Speak for yourself." I said, as I turned to her.

"So, what exactly are you?" she asked.

"I'm Alien Guy, and I just saved your life." I said. "You know, a thank you never hurt anyone."

"What do I have to thank you for?" she asked in her usual bitchy tone. "You just gave me a headache!"

"So, would you rather me not help you and let him kill you?" I asked.

Kai looked shocked and angry at the same time.

"No, I'm glad that you saved my life!" she said. "But could you have done it, I don't know, without all of that swinging or zipping nonsense that you did?"

"That was the fastest way I could get us away from him without putting you in danger. It was the only way." I said. "So, I'm sorry if my methods weren't good enough for you."

"Don't do that." She said.

"Don't do what?" I asked with confusion.

"You're trying to make me feel pity for you, which I won't. You're acting like this is my fault, which it's not." She said. "This whole thing is entirely your fault."

I was shocked and angry at this point.

"You know what? I don't have time for this." I said as I stepped closer to her, picking her up bridal style.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed. "Put me down!"

"Shut up!" I hissed as I jumped from the rooftop. "You'll give away our position if he's still in the area."

Kai kept screaming after that, mostly disrespectful comments towards me. I eventually landed back on street level, Kai still in my arms. I put her down on her feet and she still gave me a hateful look.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Take a cab or a bus home." I said. "With this lunatic running around it's not safe to be out right now."

She nodded.

"And um, you know, thanks." She said.

 _Wow, was she being for real? Was she actually thanking me right now?_

I nodded.

"Next time don't make it so difficult." I said.

The look of anger on her face was worse now.

"You know what? I take my thanks back." She said. "Fuck you."

"Right back at you, kiddo." I said with a grin on my face. "Now run the fuck along."

The look of anger didn't fade from her face. She backed up, turned around and signaled for a taxi. Once I was sure that she was gone, I grappled back up to the building. Once I was back up there, I looked around the rooftop.

"Was this just a play of his?" I asked myself. "Was he trying to draw me out?"

Once I was sure that he wasn't around anymore, I went back to the building that I had dropped my backpack on. Then, I got back to getting over to Cooper's Warehouse.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

I had finally arrived at Cooper's Warehouse. The Omnitrix timed out on my way there, so I had to grapple the rest of the way. Before going in, I decided to drop down onto the roof of Cooper's Warehouse to change out of my costume and into my street clothes. But that didn't go as planned.

As soon as I landed on the roof, the warehouse's defenses, which I hadn't seen, activated. Several turrets made their appearance all around me and an intercom came on.

"Warning. You are trespassing on private property." A robotic voice said. "This will be your only warning."

"What the hell is going on here?!" I exclaimed.

I heard the turrets begin to charge up.

"Have it your way then." The robotic voice said before shutting off.

"Shit." I said as the turrets began to fire at me.

I flipped into the air and fired my wrist gauntlet at one of the turrets. I zipped towards the turret and somehow managed to miss all of the laser fire that was shot at me. I hit the turret and forced it into a different position. As I flipped, once more trying to dodge the laser fire, I noticed a camera that was watching me as I moved.

"Cooper, cut the shit and let me in!" I exclaimed.

I noticed the camera follow me once again as I flipped once more. I noticed one of the skylights on top of the warehouse's roof. I decided to try something. I jumped up and fired my wrist gauntlet at the skylight, which embedded itself into the steel roof next to the skylight. I pulled myself towards the skylight and when I hit it, broke through the glass as I retracted my grapple line.

I landed on the floor of the warehouse and saw Cooper standing a few feet away from me. I stepped up to him as I pulled off my mask with anger.

"What the hell was that, Cooper?!" I exclaimed with anger.

"Who are… Wait, Ben is that you?" he asked with confusion.

"Yes, it's me!" I exclaimed. "Who else would be dressing up as Alien Guy?!"

A look of relief appeared on Cooper's face.

"Oh man, is it great to see you!" he said as he walked over to a console. "Hold on, just let me shut off the Warehouse's defenses and we can talk!"

I looked around to see that the Warehouse was virtually no different than the last time I had been inside of it. Cooper began typing away at a console and eventually I heard the sound of turrets powering down from above me. He then turned back to look at me.

"Julie and I haven't seen you for months!" he said. "Where'd you go?"

"I had a couple of personal things happen." I said. "I don't want to talk about it."

"What happened?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"I said, I don't want to talk about it." I said through gritted teeth.

"Okay, well then how are you doing other than that?" he asked.

"This isn't a house call, Cooper." I said. "I didn't come here to see how you've been doing."

"Okay, then what are you here for?" he asked.

"I'm sure that you've heard that there's a serial killer in town. The news calls him "The Infinity Killer"." I said. "He's already murdered two students that I go to school with and he's targeting my friends and family."

"Wow, it sounds like he has a personal vendetta against you." He said. "What'd you do to him?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I said.

"But if you just told me what you did to him, I may be able to understand why he's doing this." Cooper replied.

"Stop it." I said.

"Stop what?" he asked.

"Stop fishing for information." I said. "I don't know you at Cooper. I don't know you enough to the point that I would tell you stuff about my history with persons."

"People." He said.

"What?" I asked.

"People. You said persons, when you should have said people." He said.

"You know what? Fuck this." I said. "I'm sorry I even came here. I'm going to leave now."

I turned around and was about to grapple up and out of the broken skylight, when Cooper spoke.

"Wait." He said. "What is it that you came here for?"

I turned back around to face him and walked back over. I brought around my backpack and unzipped it, so he could see inside of it.

"I want you to attach these to one of my wrist gauntlets and rig it to fire all of it at the same time." I said.

"Cans of bug spray?" he asked.

I nodded.

"But why?" he asked.

"The guy, The Infinity Killer, he can turn himself into a massive array of different bugs." I said.

"Oh. Well in that case, hand them over." He said.

I handed him my backpack and took off one of my wrist gauntlets, handing that to him, too. He took them both from me and placed them on a table.

"Well, how are you going to get home now, if you don't have both gauntlets?" he asked.

I pointed at the Omnitrix.

"I'll use one of my aliens." I said. "Just get to work and make sure it gets done."

"Okay, will do." He said. "Oh and use the front door next time."

I rolled my eyes and left without another word.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter!

* What do you guys think of the conflict between Ben, Gwen, Albedo and Sunny? What do you think of Ben keeping his real plan from them? Did you expect Kai to be not be nice even to Alien Guy?

* Now we've seen the re-introduction of Cooper into Volume Two. What do you think of Ben accidentally activating his Warehouse's defenses? Was it justified for Ben to be angry at Cooper about that?

* Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm going to go though so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _csgt (Chapter 78): I liked the happy vibe in this chapter. The thing that Ben's Mom can do and Sunny can't is having babies? Maybe Sunny can't get pregnant? Not sure, just guessing. I like the setting. Blizzard, mysterious power outage, something creepy outside, Ben sees glowing eyes and a hand slammed against the glass… and the horny teenage couple having sex LOL It's basically the set up of a horror movie! I loved it._

 _So Ben's parents knew all along about Ben and Gwen dating and they're cool with it, nice! Let's see if they will also be cool when they find out the way that Ben and Gwen are using to "keep warm" LOL Great chapter._

I'm glad you liked the chapter. About Sunny being unable to get pregnant? Whether that's true or false will be revealed in a future chapter. Glad you liked the setting, the scare and well, everything else. Ben's parents knowing the "method in which Ben and Gwen used to keep warm", that will be talked about in the next chapter or two. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 83): And another great chapter congrats And I think thad Ben keeping his real plan to him self BWEN Forever_

I'm glad you joined the review, Jason. And yes, Ben was keeping his real idea to himself. We clearly saw that this chapter, didn't we? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapters 79 and 80): I've read this chapter and the previous one at college and couldn't write a proper review for each, so now I'll just write a single review for both. Interesting developments. So the Infinity Killer can turn into bugs, I'm pretty sure he is Clancy then. A little bit cold from Ben to still refuse to act even after two classmates are killed and to say that they were just "acquaintances", but now, with Cash also being targeted and Julie pushing him, it's good to see that he's finally back._

 _I really laughed with the "swing" prank scene XD With Sunny's dark personality, I was almost expecting her to tease Ben into believing that she'd go all the way, getting them both naked, only to reveal at the very last moment before actually doing "it" that she isn't Gwen and leaving Ben angry (and frustrated lol)._

 _I'm glad that she stopped before that. I thought it was funny, but it was a bit weird to see Gwen thinking it was terrible and yet she went along with it. Instead, I think you could have had Sunny promising to do something Gwen in exchange for her going along with the plan, for example. Oh, I also liked that Ben's father asked Albedo to call him "Dad" too in a previous chapter. Great chapters!_

Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Yes, the Infinity Killer is Clancy. Also, (I'm pretty sure that you've read this far at this point) what do you think of the revelation that Clancy is the homeless, drunk guy that tried to assault Gwen early in the series? You've been here since pretty much the beginning of the series and I'd like the inside opinion from a reader like you.

"Swing" prank? I can't help but ask what you mean. Did you mean to type "switch"? Also, that entire scenario was improvised. It wasn't originally supposed to be in the story, but that chapter originally came out to be so short, that I needed a "filler portion". And that's just what I came up with. What did you think of my reference to your first chapter of WB&LG? Yeah, Sunny and Ben almost going all the way would never happen. Because I'd never pair the two together and also because he hadn't even done it with Gwen yet.

And yes, Ben's father requests that Albedo calls him "Dad". The time will come where Carl and Albedo consider each other to be father and son, vice versa. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben and Clancy face off for the second time.


	10. Chapter 85: The Infinity Killer: Part 5

Chapter 85: The Infinity Killer: Part Five

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Five!

* I'm not going to say anything. Let's just get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

 _Later That Night_

I laid in bed with Gwen that night, whom was still unhappy with me.

"You know, I ran into Kai today." I whispered to her.

"Yeah?" Gwen asked, rolling over to face me. "Is she still mean to you?"

I rolled over, so I could face her as well.

"She's even a bitch to the guy who saved her life today." I said to her.

Her eyes widened with surprise.

"You ran into her as Alien Guy today?" she asked. "You saved her life?"

I nodded.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Clancy tried to kill her." I said. "I did tell you that the Infinity Killer is the homeless guy who tired to assault you during the summer, didn't I?"

She closed her eyes and nodded.

"Yes, I do." She said.

"That's it?" I asked. "You aren't going to freak out?"

She shook her head.

"Ben, I can't freak out anymore. Things happen. Our lives are screwed up." She said. "Kevin died, the Forever Knights made a clone of me assigned to assassinate you and now it turns out that the Infinity Killer is that homeless guy. I'm not really freaked out by anything anymore."

I nodded.

"I can understand that." I said.

"So, what happened?" she asked. "How'd it go?"

I shrugged.

"How does anything ever usually go with Kai?" I asked. "She's a bitch to Ben Tennyson and that didn't change with Alien Guy."

"She wasn't grateful that you saved her life from Bug Man?" she asked.

"She was. But when I told her to make it easier next time, she told me to fuck off." I said.

"You have to stop doing that." Gwen said.

"Doing what?" I asked.

"You have to stop being so easily angered by Kai's attitude." She said.

"Gwen, let me make this clear. I fucking hate Kai." I said. "She's done terrible things to me and doesn't feel regret about it."

"Yes, I know you hate Kai." She said. "But you saved her life, you shouldn't be mean to her, even if she's mean to you."

"Gwen, even if Kai is a bitch, I wasn't going to just let her die." I said. "I had every intention to save her. I just wish that she wouldn't be so mean and actually show some gratitude."

"You can't expect her to show gratitude or to be nice, Ben." She said. "It's not in her nature."

"I know it's not." I said.

"Then why can't you get over that fact?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I don't know." I said. "Let's just go to bed."

"Whatever you say." Gwen said as she yawned next to me.

 _The Next Day_

When I woke up the next day, I was alone in bed. I got up out of bed and put a shirt on, since all I wore to bed last night was a pair of pajama pants. I walked out of the room and into the living room, where I saw Mom watching T.V.

"Where's Dad?" I asked.

"He had to go into work early today." She said. "Having three additional teenagers living in this house isn't cheap, you know."

I nodded.

"Still no school?" I asked.

Mom shook her head.

"No." she said. "The roads are still too icy to be driving the school buses on. They'll probably call and announce when school will resume soon."

"Okay." I said as I walked towards the basement stairs.

I walked down the basement stairs and into the room, where I saw Gwen watching T.V. on the couch.

"Hey." I said to her. "Good morning."

She turned to look at me.

"Good morning." She returned my greeting.

I walked over to the couch and sat down next to her.

"Still no school." I said.

"I know." Gwen said. "We're probably not going back to school anytime soon. The roads are still iced, and the snow may have melted, but it's started again."

"Really?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Mmm." I grunted as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her towards me.

"Ben, what are you doing?" she asked. "Let go!"

"No way." I said, chuckling as her chest pressed against mine.

"Ben, wait…" she began to speak but I cut her off with a kiss.

After trying to resist for several seconds, she eagerly returned the kiss and put her hands on my chin. I locked my arms around her waist as we continued to make out. After about ten more seconds she pulled away and looked at me lovingly.

"You really have a way with those lips of yours, you know?" she asked.

I smirked at her.

"Let me show you again." I said, as I pulled her closer once more. "This time with my tongue."

I was going to pull her into a French kiss, but she resisted this time.

"No, Ben." She said.

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"What if your Mom comes down and sees us?" she whispered.

"But she knows about us! Both of them do!" I said. "And they're both okay with it! Now, come here."

I tried to pull her into a kiss, but once more, she stopped me.

"Ben, no." she repeated.

I stared at her, as she gave me a fearful look. It took me a few seconds to think that I understood it.

"Oh my God." I said with surprise. "You're embarrassed, aren't you?"

She looked at me with confusion.

"You're embarrassed about being seen with me around my mom, aren't you?" I asked.

She just shook her head at me.

"It's okay." I said. "You don't have to embarrassed when you're seen with me!"

"It's just not, I don't know." She said. "I don't want your mom to see us like this, I don't want her to think that all we do with our time is cuddle and want to make love."

"But it's not like that." I said.

Gwen didn't say anything.

"It's alright." I said. "Come here."

I pulled her a bit closer and put my hands on her stomach. She immediately looked at me, as if she knew what I was about to attempt.

"Ben, don't do it." She said.

"It's okay." I said, ignoring her as I began to tickle her stomach.

She started to groan a little bit, trying to resist the urge to giggle as my fingers worked their magic.

"Ben, no." she said in shallow voice. "Stop."

I grinned at the realization that she was already having trouble breathing and I continued tickling her stomach. She failed to resist and began to giggle. That only encouraged me to tickle her with more force.

"Ben, stop!" she said in a hoarse voice.

I only continued to tickle her, which caused her more trouble trying to breathe. Eventually she gave in and forced me to quit tickling her, by pulling me into a kiss. I took my hands from her stomach and moved them up to her back and wrapped them around her as we continued to make out.

Eventually she pulled away and stared down at me, lovingly. She gently ran her fingers down my cheek.

"I have to go up to the newspaper." She said. "The Bellwood Post will want the pictures that I've taken."

"What pictures?" I asked as I refused to let her go.

"Now that Alien Guy is back and that I have pictures of him, The Post may want them." She said. "Do you want to come along?"

"Do you have to go?" I asked, ignoring her question. "Can't you stay?"

"You know that I would love to." She said. "But I want to get it done before the weather gets too bad to do it."

She got up off of me and started to walk away, but I grabbed her by the wrist.

"Wait." I said. "One more."

"One more what?" she asked as she walked backwards a bit, so she could see my face.

I slowly began to pull her down towards me and once she realized what I wanted, she got back onto the couch, gently put her knee on my stomach and lowered herself on top of me and we kissed again. Once we pulled away again, I grinned up at her.

"One more?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she got up off of the couch.

"I have to go." She said as she walked away from the couch. "Hi, Aunt Sandra."

As I heard Gwen walk up the stairs I sat up on the couch and looked over to see Mom standing by the stairs, looking at me.

"Um, how long have you been…" I started to speak, but she interrupted me.

"Long enough." She said. "Listen to me, Ben. I'm not dumb. I know what you two are doing."

"Mom?" I asked with a cautionary tone.

She let out a sigh.

"Just be safe." She said as she turned back towards the stairs. "There's already one pregnant lady in this house. We don't need another one."

After she walked back upstairs, I sat there in silence for a while.

 _So, she knew that Gwen and I had sex? I thought we hid that well. I mean, Albedo didn't suspect a thing._

I finally got up off of the couch. I had a bad feeling about Gwen going out by herself and I had decided to try to follow her, keep tabs on her without her knowing. I walked up the stairs and into the living room, where Mom sat once more.

"Hey, I'm going to go out for a while." I said.

"Now?" she asked. "In this weather?"

I nodded.

"I need to go for a walk and just clear my head." I said. "I won't be gone long."

"It's cold outside." Mom said. "Take a jacket."

"I will." I said as I walked to my old room.

I walked in, shut the door behind me and locked it. I had gotten my costume on in no time and then left through my window.

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I sat perched up on top of a building as I looked down at the streets of the city. I watched as Gwen left the parking garage that she had parked her car in and walked across the street to the Bellwood Post's building. As I saw this, I let out a sigh of relief.

"She made it." I said to myself. "Thank God."

I had been so busy keeping tabs on Gwen for the past half an hour, that I didn't realize someone had snuck up on me.

"Nice day isn't it?" a demonic voice asked from behind me.

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed as I turned to see Clancy, in full bug form, standing behind me.

Clancy let out a snarl before lunging at me, pushing both of us off the roof. As we fell several stories towards the ground, he began attempting to strangle me.

"We will crush your bones!" he exclaimed in his deep, demonic voice as his hands came crushing down onto my windpipe.

My eyes widened as I saw my life flashing before my eyes. I struggled to reach for the Omnitrix before I would run out of breath. I managed to successfully dial up the Omnitrix and in my panic, slammed it down without looking. Luck seemed to be on my side today, because just as we hit the ground, I transformed into Fourarms.

I kicked him off of me and he hit one of the cars behind him. He shook his head before quickly getting up and lunged at me again. I punched him once he got close enough for me to do so and he flew backward once more. Once he got up, he looked around him, before he picked up a car and lifted it over his head, which surprised me.

 _How can he lift a car over his head? Are the bugs somehow enhancing his physical strength?_

"Here!" he exclaimed. "Catch this!"

He then threw the car at me and I managed to catch it, even though it sent be backwards a little bit. I heard him charging towards me and I rushed to get the car back down, so I could counter attack. I failed, and he barreled into me, sending us both down and the car to the side. With me on the ground, he began to punch me in the face.

After successfully landing a couple punches, I grabbed his hand and prevented him from punching me anymore. I then headbutted him and he fell off me. I got up, walked over to him and picked him up off the ground. I started punching him myself. Eventually he did the same tactic I did. He blocked one of my punches and kicked me away instead of headbutting me.

I crashed into a car and didn't have enough time to recover before he got to me. He grabbed me by the foot and threw me over his head. I sailed through the air before landing on a car, crushing its form beneath me.

 _How does covering himself with bugs give this guy the strength to throw Fourarms over his head?_

I laid there recovering. Eventually I looked up, to see him moving towards the Bellwood Post's building.

 _Oh, no. Not good_ , I thought as I got up. _I can't let him get in there._

"Oh no, you don't!" I exclaimed as I ran towards him.

He whipped around and clocked me in the side of the face. I hadn't anticipated on him having such good reflexes. That strike sent me to the ground and allowed him to get closer to the building's doors. I got up quicker this time and ran back over to him, this time not saying anything to give me away.

I was able to get him into a choke hold and began dragging him away from the door.

"Let go of us!" he exclaimed in his demonic voice. "Chokehold's illegal!"

"Yeah, you can file a complaint." I said as I kept dragging him.

I threw him across the street towards the parking garage, where he smashed through the wall. I ran over to the hole in the wall and stepped through it, to see something amazing. He was gone. He was nowhere in sight. I looked around the garage, to see another hole in the wall, across from me.

 _How did he move so quickly?_

I ran over to the hole in the wall opposite of me and stepped through that one. I was greeted by a crowd of people all walking down the street. And of course, Clancy was nowhere to be seen. I let out a sigh as the Omnitrix began to time out. The flash of green light occurred and there I was again, standing in my costume.

A decent chunk of the crowd stopped what they were doing and took the time to look at me. Most of them gave me questioning stares, but no one said a word to me. Eventually I stepped back through the hole in the wall and walked back towards the Bellwood Post's building. I stopped when I saw her. Gwen was standing outside of the doors of the building, staring at me.

She didn't say anything, she just stood there, staring at me. I wanted so much just to grapple up to the roof, because I knew she would meet me up there, and explain everything to her. But I didn't do that. I backed up a few feet from her, before turning around and jumping up to latch onto a wall.

I climbed up the wall and towards the roof. I knew that Gwen would want to know what happened just now. I knew that she would want to talk about it. But that would have to wait. For now, I had to make sure that Clancy wasn't still around here.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I'm sorry if it was a bit short this time, this is what was scheduled for this chapter.

* What did everyone think of the fluffiness between Ben and Gwen in the beginning of the chapter? Does Clancy attacking Ben in broad daylight show how obsessive he is?

* Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 84): Ah And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks for the review, Jason. Glad to see that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben visits Cooper to retrieve his finished contraption. Gwen finds herself in danger.


	11. Chapter 86: The Infinity Killer: Part 6

Chapter 86: The Infinity Killer: Part Six

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Six! Nothing to say here, let's just get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

I laid in bed that night, just like any other night, with Gwen snuggled up against me. Neither of us had talked about what had happened earlier today. We were both silent in the bed for quite some time. Eventually Gwen cleared her throat and I knew what was coming.

"We both know that we need to talk about what happened today." She spoke as she sat up and moved to her side of the bed. "So, would you rather talk about it now, rather than later?"

I sighed, before I nodded.

"What do you want to know?" I whispered.

"Ben, what happened earlier today?" she asked.

"Clancy tried to kill me outside of the Bellwood Post's building." I said in monotone voice.

"I get that part." Gwen said. "But why were you outside of the newspaper's building?"

"I was following you." I said without hesitation.

"You were following me?" she asked. "Why am I not surprised? And is that a breach of my trust?"

"Don't you start with that." I said.

Gwen ignored me.

"But seriously, Ben." She said. "Is that a breach of my trust?"

"I was looking out for you." I said.

"And how's that?" she asked.

"Will you stop being so moody?!" I said as I looked at her with anger.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down a bit there, cowboy! I'm not moody, I'm just curious." She said as she smiled. "So please, calm down and tell me what I want to know."

I sighed.

"I've been following you around to make sure that you stay safe." I said.

She looked at me without a word to me.

"Gwen, this guy, Clancy, he's obsessive over you! He's even more dangerous than he was that day in the summer!" I said. "He wants to do terrible things to you before he kills you, and I can't let that happen!"

She continued to look at me, once again with no words. She finally let out a sigh.

"Look, I'm sorry for following you around without your knowledge. I'm sorry if it offends you." I said. "The only thing I want to do is make sure that you stay safe."

Gwen said nothing for another minute, before finally opening her mouth.

"No hard feelings." She finally said.

I looked up at her, to see a small smile on her face.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously." She said as she nodded. "I understand that you're looking out for me. No hard feelings."

I just stared at her once more.

"Seriously, seriously?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. She snuggled up against me once more.

"Shut off the lights." She said disregarding my question. "I'm tired and I want to go to sleep."

I did as she asked and shut off of the light. I laid down and Gwen adjusted herself, so her head was resting on my chest. I pulled the covers and the extra comforter up to the middle of her back and hugged her closer to my chest. It was another cold night, due to more snow (which had still not been explained) and everyone in the house needed an extra blanket.

And even with Gwen and me both wearing pajama pants and long sleeved cotton shirts, we were still cold. So, as much as the both of us didn't really want to after the events of today, we had to huddle close to each other for warmth. But as always, I was asleep in no time with me hugging her, as she probably was, too.

 _The Next Day_

The next day was a bit of a slow day, with it being the start of the weekend. So slow in fact, that I resorted to going downstairs to the game room to ask Albedo if he wanted to play video games. Eventually, he, Sunny and I settled on playing Minecraft.

We had been playing for a few hours when I was about to decide to get up and leave the game. I was about to leave the game, when a Creeper blew up part of the dirt hut that Albedo was living in.

"No! My shitty house is even shittier!" he exclaimed with despair.

That made Sunny and I both laugh in unison. After which, we both looked at each other and just blushed without a word. I looked back at Albedo who looked at the both of us after that.

"Shut up." I said.

"Hey, my lips are sealed." He said.

"Let's keep it that way." I said, as I paused the game and left the session.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sunny asked.

"I'm going to call it here." I said. "I want to go check on Gwen."

"Gwen?" Sunny asked. "She's not here!"

"Well, where is she?" I asked.

"She went out to lunch with a few friends of hers from the boarding school she used to go to." She said.

"Oh, okay." I said as I walked towards the stairs. "Whatever."

I walked up the stairs, through the kitchen and into the living room, where Mom greeted me.

"Gwen's out with friends." She said.

"I know." I said.

After I spoke, we were in silence for a few seconds, until I spoke again.

"You know what? I'm going to go out by myself." I said.

"Again?" she asked. "You went out yesterday as well!"

"I know." I said. "But I just need to take some time for myself."

Mom looked at me.

"Okay, whatever you say." She said.

I went to the bedroom and grabbed a jacket, along with my car keys and my wallet. As I was getting on my shoes, my eyes caught sight of the backpack that I kept my costume in. Getting the uneasy feeling that I would need it today, I grabbed it and put it on. Once I was ready to go, I walked back out into the living room.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Mom asked.

"Maybe a couple hours." I said. "Why?"

"Just be safe. You know what's going on out there and on top of it, it's snowing." She said. "Be careful, son."

I nodded.

"I'll be careful, Mom." I said. "I promise."

She nodded at me.

"You may go." She said.

I walked out the front door and closed it behind me. I pulled my hood up as I walked to my car, shielding my face from the snow. I walked to my car and got inside. I started the car and turned on the heat, before pulling out my phone. I unlocked my phone and pull up my contacts list. I scrolled down to Gwen's contact information and dialed her number. It rang several times, before it went to voicemail. I sighed in frustration, as I waited for the beep.

"Gwen, it's Ben, are you there? Hello?" I spoke, waiting for an answer, but never got one. "Look, I know that you went out with your friends and I trust you to be safe on your own. Will you just call me when you get home, okay? Please? I love you."

I hung up after leaving my message and sighed once again, before pulling out of the driveway.

 _The Waterfront_

 _Forty Five Minutes Later_

I stepped up to Cooper's door and knocked in the "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits" method. After standing there for several seconds, I finally heard the sound of multiple locks on the other side unlocking. The door opened, and I saw Cooper standing there.

"Hey, come on in." he said.

He stepped out of the way and I walked into the warehouse, and he shut the door behind me.

"Is it done?" I asked.

"Your bug spray contraption?" he asked. "I had it ready yesterday. Why weren't you here yesterday to get it?"

"Um, I had a bit of a day yesterday." I said, as I walked further into the warehouse. "I couldn't make it. I was almost killed."

"How unfortunate." He said as he walked over to a table.

I walked over to another table myself, where something caught my eye. Something colored in dark green and jet black was covered by a tarp on the table. My curiosity overcame me, and I walked over to the tarp.

"Hey, what's this?" I asked as I reached for the tarp.

Cooper looked back at me and his face flushed. I tried to lift the tarp up, but he had run over to me before I could do it. He slammed the tarp back down, that way I could no longer see what was under it.

"No, no, no." he said. "That's a prototype and you can't see it yet!"

I gave him a strange look.

"So, it's for me then?" I asked.

He gave me an annoyed look.

"Not if you take a look under the tarp, it won't!" he exclaimed.

I put my hands up.

"Alright!" I said. "You win! Can I have it?"

"No." he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it's not ready." He said.

"Not the prototype, you dolt!" I exclaimed. "The contraption! Can I have the contraption?"

"Alright, alright, alright, sheesh!" Cooper said. "You don't have to be so bossy about it!"

"I know and I'm sorry, I just want this to be over. Hopefully after all of this, my life can go back to normal." I said.

Cooper turned to look at me as he handed me the contraption.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Do you mean that once you have this guy bagged, that you'll quit again?"

I just stood there, thinking about his question. Eventually after several seconds, I shrugged.

"I don't know." I said. "It's not like I hadn't considered it before. I keep asking myself which one is worse: quitting or continuing this charade?"

Cooper looked at me with disappointment.

"I think we know what the answer is, Ben." He said. "The worst thing that you could do is quit again. You're thinking about yourself here."

I just thought about what he said for a few seconds.

"Okay, let's think about this for a second. I'm not sure whether quitting is worse that continuing to do this and vice-versa. The thing I want to do most is just quit and hope that any bullshit doesn't find me this time." I said. "But it really doesn't matter what I do. If I quit, my girlfriend resents me and if I don't quit, the city will resent me for not being there when I should have been. I can't win Cooper, no matter what I do."

Cooper gave me a strange look.

"Ben, why did you quit the first time?" he asked.

I stood there, as I twisted a strand of my hair anxiously.

"None of your business." I finally said.

Cooper gave me another look.

"Well, alright then." He said. "Did you want to just leave, or did you want me to tell you how to use that?"

"Um, tell me how to use it." I said.

"Okay um, so first of all, that's not your wrist gauntlet." He said, handing me the gauntlet that I had given him a couple days ago. " _This_ is your wrist gauntlet. I just completely made your contraption from scratch."

I gave him a strange look.

"Cooper, you do know that you didn't have to do that, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I know." He said. "But I don't want to have to deal with the dismantling process."

I grinned as he said that.

"I like you." I said as I pointed at him, still grinning.

He smiled back.

"Well, that's a good thing, seeing as I'm going to be your main supplier of tech." he said. "Also, you're going to need this."

He walked back over to one of his tables and grabbed a gas mask, which now that I thought about it, having it would make sense. Cooper walked back over to me.

"Here, take it." He said, as he handed it to me. "Once you pull the trigger, all of the bug spray is going to spray out all at once. I rigged it to do so. And you really, really, _really_ don't want to breath that stuff in."

"Um yeah, that makes sense." I said as I took it from him. "Thanks."

"No problem." He said. "Is there anything else you need?"

I shook my head.

"No, I think that's everything." I said. "Thanks, Cooper."

"No problem." He said as he walked over to a table. "Close the door on your way out, please."

"Yes, Mom." I said with sarcasm as I walked towards the door, leaving without another word.

 _An Hour and a Half Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

So, to make a long story short, I ran into Ken and J.T. in the city, on the way back home. So, we stopped off at a restaurant in the city to have lunch. And after eating, we had been sitting there for the past forty five minutes, all of us laughing our asses off. Eventually, Ken brought Gwen up.

"So, how are you and my sister doing?" he asked. "It's been a while since we talked."

"Yeah!" J.T. chimed in. "You guys haven't been in any more fights lately, have you?"

There was silence now. Ken and I were both staring at each other. At this point, I was giving Ken my deluxe "don't you dare say anything, you're my only friend that knows I'm dating my cousin" look.

"Yeah, she's uh, fine." I said in nervous tone. "We're uh, we're both good."

Ken chimed back into the conversation.

"Don't you think you have something that you should tell J.T., regarding Gwen?" he asked.

The sweat was beading up on my forehead. All I wanted to do was get up and run from the restaurant. There was seriously no way in hell that Ken was trying to make me do this. And then a miracle happened. My phone began ringing. I pulled out my phone and saw that Gwen was calling me.

"Nothing to say. Speaking of Gwen fellas, that's her right now." I said as I got up. "I have to take this, I'm sorry. I'll be back soon."

I walked off towards the front of the restaurant, where there weren't so many people around and where it was quieter. I brought the phone up to my ear and answered it.

"Hey, sweetheart!" I greeted her on the other end.

And then, I heard the most horrifying sound of someone cackling in a raspy tone came from the other side. It hit me. This wasn't Gwen I was talking to, Clancy had her phone, so therefore, Clancy had Gwen.

"Can Alien Guy come out to play?" Clancy asked from the other end.

It felt like my blood was starting to boil just from my anger alone. I looked around to make sure that there was no one was looking at me. There wasn't. I looked back at the phone.

"What the hell have you done with her?!" I hissed into the phone.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that is the chapter for today! I hope you guys enjoyed!

* So, that's how you end a chapter right there, ladies and gentlemen. What do you think of the conversation between Ben and Cooper? Is it right for Ben to think about quitting again? And what do you think Cooper was trying to hide?

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 85): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks for the review, Jason. Glad to see you're enjoying the story still. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben settles the score with Clancy. Ben tries to come to terms with his current situation.


	12. Chapter 87: The Infinity Killer: Part 7

Chapter 87: The Infinity Killer: Part Seven

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Seven, as well as the final part of this story arc!

* Ben is finally going to end things with Clancy and also, Director Steel will be making his return towards the end of this chapter!

* Okay folks, it's that time of year again! I will be posting three more chapters for this story in 2018, starting with this one. So, with nothing else to be said here, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I sprinted across the rooftops of Downtown Bellwood in a fit of anger, as I pulled my mask down over my face. I had abandoned Ken and J.T. at the restaurant, after apologizing for the inconvenience, that is. But then again, what would you do if your girlfriend had been kidnapped by a crazy, psychopathic, murder without your knowledge?

Upon leaving the restaurant, I had run into the alley, opened my backpack and pulled out my gloves. Once I had those on, I began climbing up the wall of the building towards the roof. Once I got up there, I began running across the rooftops as I began changing into my costume. And that brings us around to now.

I brought my backpack back around as I continued to run and pulled out my wrist gauntlets. I put them on and threw the backpack back on and leapt from the roof.

 _Clancy had really crossed a line this time,_ I thought. _Not that he hadn't crossed a line before, but now I wanted nothing more to kill him. I wanted to end him. But, I did have a plan. I just wasn't sure if I could follow through on it anymore._

About five minutes of swinging, I came to a stop on the top of a building across the street from the tenement building. I stared across the street at the tenement building and after a few seconds, I stood up and pulled my backpack off. I opened it, took out the bug spray contraption as well as the gas mask.

I took off the wrist gauntlet on my left wrist and replaced it with the bug spray contraption. I then took off my mask and replaced it with the gas mask. I then put the wrist gauntlet, as well as my costume's mask back into the backpack. I put my backpack on and stood up to face the tenement building.

I finally fired the wrist gauntlet across the street and the grapple wedged itself into the wall above the hole where the window used to be. I took a breath before getting ready to leap off the roof. I finally let out a grunt of anger as I jumped from the roof and swung towards the window.

I landed through the window, to see Gwen duct taped into a chair and with a gag around her mouth. She stared at me with an intense gaze, as if she thought that she were going to die, which she probably did. Clancy stood behind her, with a knife held up to her throat.

"Let her go!" I exclaimed with agitation in my voice.

Clancy seemed to notice my getup. He lowered the knife and looked at me with a funny expression.

"Dude, it's a little too late for Halloween, isn't it?" he asked as he chuckled.

I didn't budge or crack even the smallest smile.

"Come on, that's not funny?" Clancy asked.

"You let her go, now!" I said. "It's me that you want."

Gwen's gaze seemed to get more intense, as if she were begging me not to bargain with Clancy.

"I don't know, I'm pretty satisfied with what I have right now." He said, moving the knife closer to Gwen's neck once more.

I started to see tears in her eyes.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Clancy." I said. "You let her go and take me instead."

He lowered the knife once more and regarded me with a look this time. He let out a sigh and dropped the knife next to the chair that Gwen was taped into. I saw relief in her eyes.

"You know what, maybe you're right." He said. "Maybe I'd rather take you instead of her."

"Then come get me." I said. "Leave her out of this. Don't punish her for something that I did."

"You know what?" he asked. "You're right."

I let out a sigh of relief.

 _Thank God, I convinced him,_ I thought to myself.

But then, I just began to notice him change into his bug form out of my peripheral vision. I looked over out of fear, to see him transform quicker than I'd ever seen. He now stood there in his bug form.

"Besides, you'll make a good appetizer before I take the girl." He said in his demonic voice.

 _Oh, shit,_ I thought.

He put his hands out and opened his mouth real wide, showing off his fangs and his long, black tongue. He dropped onto all fours and began to charge over to me. I just stood there, not even trying to move.

 _Yeah, come get me,_ I thought.

Bug-Clancy pounced on me and pushed me to the floor, as he let out an angry snarl. He brought his hand down to my chest and I felt his finger talons extend, cutting through the front of my black shirt, again.

"We're going to enjoy this!" he said in an angry demonic voice.

"Tell me something, Clancy." I said as his finger talons dug deeper into my skin. "Why do you remind me so much of Venom?"

"Guess you won't live to find out." He said.

At this point I was pointing the bug spray contraption directly at his chin.

"No, I think I will." I said, before firing the mechanism.

That pull of the trigger discharged all of the contents of all three cans into Bug-Clancy's face, just as Cooper said it would. And as that happened, all of the bugs covering Clancy's body began to die. He got up off of me, bugs falling off of his body as he began to cough uncontrollably. It took a few seconds or so, but eventually there were no more bugs on his body.

He stopped coughing once he saw that he was no longer covered in bugs. I had no idea how all of that bug spray hadn't been lethal to him, because he was standing there now as if he was fine, you know, just minus all the bugs. He finally looked at me and gave me a nervous laugh.

"We can, uh… We can talk about this." He said.

I wasn't sure if he could transform again, but I wasn't going to wait and see. I stepped up to him.

"Good night." I said before I punched him in the middle of his face, which knocked him out.

I now looked at him on the floor, not moving. I let out a sigh of relief as I realized that the nightmare was over. I looked over at Gwen and her eyes said the same thing:

 _Thank God, that's over._

I sighed once more as I walked over to her to free her.

 _One Hour Later_

I sat in a private tent that the boys from S.E.C.T. had set up, sitting on a bench as one of the S.E.C.T. medics stitched up the new wound in my chest. Five minutes passed, and the medic was closing his kit again.

"Um, thanks again." I said.

"Don't mention it, kid." He said without looking up.

Just then, the tent flaps shook and opened, and Director Steel walked into the tent.

 _Oh, great,_ I thought.

"Leave us, Roberts." He said as he stopped to stand by one of the cots in the tent.

The medic looked up and quickly gathered up his med-kit, before saluting the Director.

"Yes, Sir!" he exclaimed.

Roberts left the tent, leaving Director Steel and I alone. Neither of us said a word for about a minute.

"You did good, kid." He said at last.

I said nothing.

"You came through when people needed you." He said.

I stood up and grabbed my black T-shirt.

"Yeah, thanks." I said as I put it on.

He watched as I grabbed my leather jacket and collect my mask and gloves. I walked towards the tent's exit.

"Hey, at least let me finish!" Director Steel said.

"No!" I said as I gave him an angry look. "We're not having this conversation!"

"Sit down, kid!" he said in an even angrier tone that I had used.

I let out a sigh and sat down like he told me.

"Thank you." He said. "I just want to take a minute and thank you."

"You just did." I said as I put both of my gloves on.

"Kid, you're not going to make this easy, are you?" he asked.

I didn't answer.

"I want to thank you for doing my job." He said. "We didn't know where to find this guy or how to beat him."

"How did he do it?" I asked, disregarding his compliment. "How was Clancy able to cover himself with hundreds of bugs and how was he able to survive the amount of toxins from the bug sprays I used?"

"We don't know yet." He said. "And I can't tell you anyway."

I looked up at him.

"You aren't an agent of S.E.C.T." he said. "So, you aren't authorized to know that information."

"Uh-huh." I said. "I know. I'm going to go now."

I walked past Director Steel and towards the exit of the tent.

"Ben, wait!" he said, using my name.

I stopped in my tracks.

"What?" I asked with anger.

"I want you to reconsider." He said. "Now that you're using the Omnitrix again, I really want you to allow me to train you. I think it would help you a lot."

"No." I said without hesitation.

"No?" he asked. "Why?"

I turned around to face him.

"Director Steel, maybe I wasn't clear enough to you a few months ago." I said. "Are you ready? Here I go, so pay attention. I fucking hate you, Director Steel. I hate you, I hate S.E.C.T., I hate everything about you guys."

"Kid, I know you hate me, but you have to give me a chance." He said. "This training could do great things for you."

"See, you weren't listening." I said. "Fuck off, Director Steel. I don't want anything to do with you. I never asked for your help, I never asked for the Omnitrix. This is the worst thing to ever happen to me."

"Kid, I'm telling you right now, you won't regret allowing me to train you." He said. "Can you just think about it?"

I looked down at the floor.

"You lost your chance when your son died." I said at last.

He was silent now.

"Ben?" he asked with concern.

I looked back up and turned around.

"Goodbye, Director Steel." I said, as I turned my head. "I hope the future is kind to you."

I walked out of the tent without another word.

 _Sometime Later_

Gwen and I sat on the top of a building, both of us leaning our backs up against an air conditioning unit, sometime later.

"You did it." Gwen said, giving me a proud smile. "You came through."

I nodded back at her as I smiled at her. Her smile faded.

"You saved my life, Ben." She said. "I have no idea how to thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Gwen." I said. "You're my girlfriend! What was I going to do, let him kill you?"

She just stared at me, with a pleading look in her eyes. She then did something that doesn't surprise me anymore. She practically lunged at me, tackled me to the floor of the roof and we made out right there. Eventually she pulled away, while keeping her hands wrapped around my neck and regarded me with a loving gaze.

"I love you so much." She said.

I rubbed her cheek.

"I love you, too, Gwen." I said. "Now, can you get off, please? We need to talk."

She gave me a strange look but got off of me regardless. I sat up after that and thought about how to begin.

"Ben?" she asked with concern.

"Are you… okay?" I asked with concern.

She gave me a confused look at first, before her face changed from confused, to serious.

"Ben, I never let him touch me, I swear to God." She said. "He said that he only needed me to lure you to him."

"Do you really believe him?" I asked with concern.

"Are you kidding? Would you believe him?" she asked. "I expected him to do terrible, horrible, unspeakable things to me after he had broken you. That is, if he had been given the chance."

"We agree." I said. "How did it happen? How did he take you?"

"I was walking out of the restaurant that I had gone out to with my friends." She said. "And I walked into an alley to take a shortcut. That's where he found me."

"I'm sorry." I said. "I should have been with you."

"Ben, I'm fine, aren't I?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Ben, it's okay." She said. "Really."

I looked at her with surprise.

"No, Gwen, it's not okay!" I said. "You could have been killed!"

"But, I wasn't!" she said. "I'm still alive and right here, right in front of you!"

I didn't say anything after that. Gwen looked at me with concern.

"Ben?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

 _You have to tell her,_ I heard the Omnitrix's voice in my head. _This has been bugging you all week. Tell her._

"I never wanted to start dating you." I said at last.

After I said that, she gave me a look of surprise.

"Are y…you going to break up with me?" she asked in an emotional tone.

"No. No, no, no. I don't want to break up with you." I said. "I can't break up with you."

She gave me an offended look.

"Then why would you tell me something like this?" she asked.

"I never wanted to start dating you." I repeated. "Because I was afraid that something like this would happen. And despite all of my attempts to try, it happened anyway."

"You quit." She said. "All of this may as well be your fault anyway."

"Gwen, easy." I said. "You're my girlfriend."

"Yeah. But I could break up with you after all this." She said. "But I'm not going to, because I'm crazy about you, Ben."

"Gwen, I'm sorry that any of this happened." I said as I looked at her. "Despite all of my trying, there is now a man in S.E.C.T. containment, who resents me and knows exactly how to get to me and how to break me."

She snuggled up against me and put her arms around me.

"It's okay." She said. "That guy's in prison now and we don't have to worry about it!"

She sounded happier now, which made me feel better, I guess.

"No, Gwen you don't understand. You were right, okay?" I asked. "You were right, Gwen. All of this, the deaths of Tracy and Ned, my friends, not just acquaintances, this is all my fault."

"No, Ben, it's not your fault!" she said. "You had things that you were going through, and you needed your time, I should have seen that!"

What Gwen just said contradicted what she had just said a minute or so ago.

"Gwen, I screwed up." I said. "You were right, okay? Ned and Tracy's deaths were my fault. I could have done something. I _should_ have done something. But I was too selfish, taking my time to grieve over my best friend's death and I did nothing to help anyone."

"Ben, you needed time." I said. "That's all there is!"

"Gwen, you're not listening." I said. "I have a responsibility using the Omnitrix and I've lost sight of that somewhere. So, it's time for me to rectify certain inequities."

She just stared at me.

"And, I'm not going to be able to be around you as much as I'd like to be from now on." I said.

She gave me a strange look.

"Why?" she asked.

"Clancy could have killed you, but he didn't. But even still, Clancy was a close shave." I said. "So, I have to make sure that this never happens again. I'm going to fight and fight to keep you safe, Gwen. Even if it kills me."

"Ben, that's not necessary." She said. "Maybe you couldn't prevent it, but you did stop Clancy. That's something."

"No, Gwen. He was able to get to you." I said. "I can't allow that to happen again. I have to make sure that no one can get that close to you again."

She just stared at me.

"Ben, I don't know what to say to that." She said.

"I'm sorry." I said.

She just stared down at the floor of the roof. I looked up and at that point, I saw Kevin standing there in the sun. But something was different about this Kevin. Instead of the malnourished Kevin with ragged hair and blood shot eyes that I had been seeing, this was normal Kevin. This Kevin looked just as healthy as he had been the day before he died.

"You know what it is." He said in the clearest, calmest tone possible.

I had just come to a realization. I had a responsibility. Speaking of responsibility, what had Julie written to me in her letter? Something along the lines of power and responsibility. That's it.

 _Whatever my life has in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power, comes great responsibility". This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man. Shit! I mean I'm Alien Guy! Fuck!_

 _Clancy_

 _Several Days Later_

 _S.E.C.T. Controlled Prison_

"Here's your lunch, Shitbag." A guard said as he slid a tray of food underneath the cell door to me.

I said nothing, nor did I move in anyway.

"I'm giving you food, Asshole." The guard said. "Say thank you."

I said nothing. Eventually the guard walked away.

"Fucking dick." He said, tapping the bars with his nightstick as he walked away.

As I sat there, staring at my tray of shitty low-level prison food, I began to feel something. I lifted my hand, turned my palm to face me and I saw a few spiders crawling out of the orange colored jumpsuit sleeve. As I saw this, I grinned.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's the chapter for today!

* What do you think of Ben's final confrontation with Clancy? What do you think of Ben's conversation with Director Steel and later with Gwen? What do you think of Ben's final hallucination of Kevin and the final scene with Clancy, silently confirming that he still has his powers?

* Anyway, that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Burntrevenant (Chapter One): Chapter 1 of 76 so far I like it. Will continue reading._

Thanks, Burn. I'm glad that you like it and I'm glad that you will keep reading. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Burntrevenant (Chapter Three): Opening a locked door with no explanation how nice ;p_

Thanks, Burn. Did I miss an error there? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _FireSoulKid (Chapter Forty): teen titans. robin and slade lol_

Thanks, Fire. Yes, I was going for a huge Teen Titans reference with that chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter Eleven): And another great chapter congrats "Is it right for Ben to think about quitting again?" I am not surprised In his place I would like to give up to have a normal life for a while "And what do you think Cooper was trying to hide?" Hmmm, I'm not sure, but gheheh, maybe he has a small collection of Julie's photos or porn there or maybe both_

Thanks, Jason. Yeah, I'd definitely want to quit if I were in his shoes. And about the second thing you said, um, I'm just not going to say anything about that. Why would you think it's something like that? Um, as always, thanks for the review, I guess?

 _Brandon (Chapter Eleven): Hey when is next chapter come out_

Um, it's here, thanks, Brandon. The next one will come out on Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning and then the third and the final chapter of the year will be here on New Years Eve. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben considers a new crime fighting style.


	13. 88: The Infinity Killer: Aftermath

Chapter 88: The Infinity Killer: Aftermath

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty Eight! Before we get started, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! This is a sort of epilogue chapter to the Infinity Killer story arc.

* I won't say anything else. Let's get right into the chapter!

 _Gwen_

 _Earth-21_

I opened a door and shut it behind me, cloaking the room in darkness. I began whistling a tune as I walked down a set of concrete stairs in the dark. Once I got to the bottom of the stairs, I began feeling around for the wooden stool with my cane.

I eventually felt the bottom of the cane hit one of the stools legs. I felt around for it and once I felt it, I sat down on the stool. I reached up and pulled a drawstring, and as I did, I stopped whistling. The light in the room revealed the cell in front of me.

"It's been a while since we've had one of these kinds of talks." I said.

No answer.

"Okay, you don't want to talk? That's cool." I said. "I'll do the most talking as I did the last several times we've "talked"."

Still no answer.

"See, we've had you locked up for about three months now and we're finally being able to see some real progress." I said.

There was still no answer.

"Ben is doing a good job." I said. "And on top of that, I think I might be a couple months pregnant. Can you even imagine having children today?"

The prisoner inside the cell made a commotion as they stood up from their "cot". I saw his glowing red eyes appear in front the door of the cell, out from the darkness within the cell.

"Oh, did I get your attention with that one?" I asked. "Oh no, I think that I am pregnant!"

The prisoner inside the cell let out a hiss.

"We're planning to expand the suburbs." I said. "We're going to build farms, aqueducts, grain silos, mills, trading posts, so much more."

"Sounds great." The prisoner said. "When do I get to see it?"

I just stared at the prisoner.

"I'm sorry, but do you ever get sick of acting like you're still in charge?" I asked.

The prisoner stared at me for a few seconds.

"Tell me something." He said. "Does Ben ever get tired of acting like he's still in charge? We both know that he's just a puppet and you're the one pulling the strings for real."

I shook my head as I moved a strand of my fiery red hair behind my ear.

"I'm not in charge, Vilgax." I said. "Ben _is_ in charge."

"Then why are you down here?" he asked.

"Because, Ben is too busy to talk to you. And he hates you. You ever noticed that he's only visited you once or twice?" I asked. "While I visit you once every other week. Besides, I see these talks as being therapeutic."

Vilgax didn't respond to what I said at first.

"You know, you just think that I'll be in here until the day I die." He said. "But I won't."

"Oh?" I asked.

"That world that you tell yourself I'll never see, you know?" he asked. "You're just getting it ready for me."

I just stared at him.

"Yep." I said, sighing as I got up from the stool. "You keep telling yourself that."

"Hey, where's my food?" he asked.

"No food today, monster." I said as I grabbed my cane and pulled the drawstring, drenching the room in darkness. "You eat tomorrow."

Vilgax said nothing else. I started whistling again, as I used my cane to find the stairs out of the cell house.

 _Ben_

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Three Days Later_

 _The Riverfront_

"You know, I was quite surprised when you came down here and asked me to make you a set of batons." Cooper said as he led me to a table.

"Bellwood is changing, Cooper." I said. "And it's either change with it or be left behind."

"I guess so." He said as he walked over to me with two 2-foot long, black batons. "Here."

"Thanks." I said as I took them from him. "What are they made of?"

He also handed me a sort of holster to hold both batons, which would be strapped to the side of one of my legs.

"The same material that the police make their nightsticks out of." He said. "Why do you want them, anyway?"

"I'm going to start fighting crime as often as I can." I said. "Gwen was in danger from a guy who resented me, as well as knowing who I really was. And now I have to make sure that never happens again."

"So, I guess you aren't quitting, then?" he asked.

"No, I can't." I said.

There was silence between us now. I finally worked up the courage to break the silence.

"My best friend got himself killed." I said. "And it's my fault."

Cooper turned to look at me with surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"I quit because my best friend died." I said. "And it was my fault."

"You quit because your best friend died?" he asked.

I nodded.

"You can't beat yourself up over that!" Cooper exclaimed. "You have…"

"Stop it." I said.

"I mean, you just…"

"Shut up!" I exclaimed. "I've played this game before, stop feeling so sorry for me! I'm sick of people giving me sympathy!"

"Oh." He said. "Well, again, I'm sorry."

"Thanks." I said. "That's enough, stop talking about it."

We were in silence once again. Finally, Cooper broke the silence.

"Do you really have to start this thing tonight?" he asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Why can't you just take a night off?" he asked.

"I can't." I said. "Is there anything else you should tell me?"

"You can connect the two batons to form a bow staff." He said.

I did so and nodded, not expecting it to go that far.

"But seriously, man. Why not just take one night off?" he asked. "Come hang out with Julie and I. She's always asking about you!"

At the mention of Julie, my temper flared.

"Don't you miss her?" he asked. "Don't you want to know how she's doing?"

"Yes." I lied.

"Then just come out to dinner with us tonight, man." He said. "Please?"

"Not tonight." I said as I gripped the baton so hard, that my knuckles turned white. "I have work to do."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! What did you guys think?

* What did everyone think of the beginning scene of Gwen talking with Vilgax in his cell? Just to confirm, that did take place in Old Man Ben's dimension. And I also pulled inspiration for that scene off Rick and Negan's relationship once he's in prison in The Walking Dead Comics.

* What do you think of Ben wanting to fight crime as often as he can? And also, what about him getting a set of batons? Do you like this idea, or do you think it can only lead to bad things for Ben?

* Anyway, that's all I've got. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _FireSoulKid (Chapter 70): … you made BEN beg. BEN. you turned him into a sobbing coward. ok great._

Thanks, Fire Soul. Yes, I made Ben beg. He was physically and mentally exhausted from the conflict with Sunny as well a bit mentally shattered from his "death", so he had to do something. And yes, I know, that arc was rushed.

I also know that I could have done a rewrite, but I was so close to the end of Volume One at that time, that I refused to turn back and wait to finish the story. But anyway, thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 87)): And another great chapter congrats Do not forget that Gwen is a strong girl and she is half Anodite and she is very powerful Someone like Clancy would not have a smaller chance And maybe next time let Gwen kick his ass And show Ben that she can defend herself Because you are showing that Gwen is some kind of damsel in distress ok That's my little suggestion BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I see what you're saying. Despite what you say here, I honestly forgot about Gwen's abilities at this point. I was kind of going through a bit of a rough patch, so, you know. And I wasn't trying to make her look like a damsel in distress.

I will definitely consider the idea of Gwen being the heroine the next time Clancy pops up, which I admit, I'm not sure when that is. But remember, Clancy terrorized Gwen some time ago. Those aren't good memories for him, and just seeing him again is traumatizing to her. I'm just trying to say my piece. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _FireSoulKid (Chapter 80): …they knew and still kissed their dates? WTF. THEY CHEATED. and you made it to where Gwen kissed him? sunny yes, but GWEN? story completely ruined, only reading still to finish what I started. I am disgusted right now._

Um, thanks Fire Soul? Look, I can understand how you feel to a certain extent. The second plot line of that chapter was more filler more than anything. I needed something to fill that portion of the chapter, so that's what I came up with. I don't expect everyone to like it, some did, some didn't.

Now, please don't be offended, this is just my take. I think you're overreacting a little bit. This is a fictional story, with fictional characters. It's not like this is real life. So, Gwen was posing as Sunny and she needed to make Albedo believe that she _was_ Sunny. And that's why she kissed him, she was trying to play her role.

Granted you could say he was already suspicious of her, but those are my thoughts. And besides, if you think my story is "ruined", no one said you had to continue reading it. So, if you want to stop reading, go right ahead. You won't hear me complain. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 81): I like that Ben is back in action. He's still a bit bitter, I see, but he might get better eventually. Yeah, Kai really is a jerk here, I liked Old Woman Kai better in the Omniverse arc XD The midget Four Arms, maybe he's Gorvan from the sequel shows?_

 _I have no idea why Clancy is targeting Ben's friends. I'm curious to find out. About Ben and Sunny… Well, I think it wasn't what you intended, but with Sunny kissing Ben (again), calling him "baby" and still proclaiming how much she hates everything about him, that really looked like unresolved sexual tension or love-hate dynamics (at least on Sunny's part) XD_

 _As I said, I know that's probably not what you intended, but I couldn't avoid thinking of it that way, sorry XD I think you did a good job, and I'm looking forward to more._

Thanks, csgt. I'm glad that you like Ben is back in action. He'll eventually get better, yes. No conformation on the midget being Gorvan. Well, you know why Clancy is doing it now. And no, I didn't intend for there to be "unresolved sexual tension". And even if that was the case, there would be no "resolving it". If I had to pick, I guess its love-hate dynamics. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 82): I guess it was selfish of Sunny and Albedo to stay home having sex rather than help Ben and Gwen. But I think it fits them as anti heroes. They're not supposed to be the guys who always do the right thing – that's the role of Ben and Gwen._

 _The Homeless Guy a.k.a. Clancy was pretty scary and creepy. The sick obsession with Gwen works very well for the story. Good job!_

 _I liked Julie's reappearance. Funny that she's didn't believe Ben but she also saw some crazy stuff herself. About she being in love with Cooper, I feel… relieved. I was thinking she was in love with Ben, and I'm glad it's not it. I think Julie and Cooper would be a very nice pairing, I hope it all goes well for them._

 _Great job with the chapter!_

Thanks again, csgt. Yes, it was selfish them. However, the won't always be antiheroes. I'm glad that you think Clancy being the same homeless drunk from early Volume One fits the story. It took me a while to come up with the story. Julie and Cooper will eventually get together, I'll say that much. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 83): I like how Clancy is a big threat here, the confrontation was very good._

 _I think Ben exaggerated when talking to Julie. I thought you had a subplot for her and Cooper in mind, so I'm surprised that she will be absent for a long while._

 _I think Ben has good reasons to get mad at Albedo, but he probably exaggerated when punching him too._

 _I think Ben is keeping his real plan to himself._

 _Great chapter!_

Thanks, csgt. I'm glad that you like the confrontation. Julie won't be gone for that long. He wasn't exaggerating when he punched Albedo, it was the Omnitrix driving his anger. And yes, he was keeping his real plan to himself. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 84): I think Ben shouldn't have kept his plan from Gwen, Albedo and Sunny. I don't see much of a reason to do that and on top of it, lie to them saying that he plans to let Clancy kill him, unless he didn't trust his team, but I'm sure he does (at the very least, he trusts Gwen). But I'm very curious to see how this plays out!_

 _Kai is a big jerk here (not counting Old Woman Kai, she was nice), so I think it wasn't completely unexpected that she would be a jerk to Alien Guy too. But I actually thought she would be attracted to him because he has powers and is a (kind of) famous hero (like, a shallow interest in him) so Kai's reaction did surprise me a little._

 _Ben should have used the front door XD I don't think Ben should be angry at Cooper. I mean, if it were a job thing (like both work for SECT, and Cooper is obligated to help Ben, and Ben is obligated to tolerate Cooper) I could understand they still working together despite that, but since Cooper helps Ben without getting anything in return, I think Ben should be nicer to him._

 _I did enjoy the chapter! I'm looking forward to reading more soon. Great job._

Thank you, csgt. Well, Ben still doesn't trust Sunny and that will take a while. He's just scared that now that Clancy's a super-powered freak, it would be even easierfor his friends to fall into danger if he told them his real plan. Yes, Kai was a jerk and I know you don't refer to Old Woman Kai. She may be slightly interested in him, I don't know.

We'll see about that in the future. Yes, he should have used the front door and seeing as he didn't, it's his fault that he was shot at and he shouldn't be angry with Cooper. So, you're right. And he should also be nicer to Cooper, you're right about that, too. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: After a time jump of a couple weeks, Ben adjusts to fighting crime as often as he can. This decision leads to problems in Ben and Gwen's relationship.


	14. Chapter 89: The Heart's Desire: Part 1

Chapter 89: The Heart's Desire: Part One

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighty One!

* This may be the biggest story arc since the Blood Brothers arc! I will admit that as this arc progresses, I may lose some of my readers. I honestly don't mind if I lose readers. I feel at this point, if you are actually here for the _story_ and not the Bwen itself, you'd stay to see the story through.

* Several months ago, I got a review that told me that my story was just a stupid drama story. And I was offended. I didn't respond to the review, as I didn't see what it was worth. However, I do want to mention the whole drama thing. Spider-Man/Peter Parker is the superhero that comes to mind when I think of a hero with the most drama. And a hero must have drama in his life, right?

* Like, for this entire story, if Ben just had action and romance, but no drama, wouldn't it get old? For me, a hero needs drama in his life; otherwise, it's just boring. So, that's why I wrote this arc. It's a step back from the emotional, action-packed and romantic parts of Ben's life and a new look into the dramatic part of his life.

* So, to re-iterate a little bit, this may be the biggest, as well as the most controversial arc yet. I may lose some readers due to the events in this arc. But for those of you who are not here solely for the Bwen, and for the story, I hope you'll stick around. And as I have already stated, this is going to be more of a dramatic arc. So, I have nothing else to say, let's get into this chapter!

 _Ben_

 _A Couple Weeks Later_

 _Early December_

Teenager by day. Hardcore crime fighter by night. That seems like what my life has become. After reclaiming the mantle of Alien Guy, I had gone back to being very distant from my family, even Gwen.

I kept to myself most of the day. Even though we were still together, Gwen and I hardly spent time together. Kevin's death was still taking its toll on me and I was still very much depressed. Just to get you up to speed, it had been a couple weeks since the whole Infinity Killer epidemic.

Thanksgiving had come and gone. It was all miserable as hell, but it had come and gone. Ken had come to dinner, but Gwen's parents hadn't come. I don't think Gwen's Mom was feeling better about the whole "Gwen and I dating" thing. After "Thanksgiving Break" and I say "Break", because we've been on break for almost a month.

So, we were still out of school. I was beginning to get worried and suspicious. We had been out for almost a month as I said, and I was beginning to wonder if this wasn't the weather's doing. Anyway, I was out fighting crime all night long, every night now. Well, mostly all night long. Albedo, Sunny, and Gwen all came out with me, but they were never out for long.

We all went home at 9:30 or 10:00 every night. And then, I was back up by 1:00 in the morning, by way of an alarm. I would wake up, get dressed and be out by 1:30 in the morning. I usually stayed out until 5:00 or 5:30 in the morning, then I'd come back home, change out of my costume, shower, slip back into bed with Gwen and sleep until noon. This particular night was no different. Okay, I lied. It was a little different. Gwen usually came to bed with me.

But this time, she didn't come to bed with me. She had told me that she'd come to bed later and that was that. I never remembered her coming to bed, but I eventually woke up to my alarm. By the way, my alarm wasn't music or anything. It let out low vibrations, so hopefully I wouldn't wake Gwen.

I turned my alarm off and swung my legs over the side of the bed, as I threw my covers back. I left the room and headed to my room to get dressed. I flipped on my light and stepped into the room. I closed the door behind me and moved to the closet. I opened it and fetched my jeans, which now had a holster on its lower right leg, where I kept the set of batons.

My second encounter with Clancy made me realize that the city wasn't as safe as I had thought. So, I had Cooper construct batons for me, made of a light, durable material. Well, Cooper told me that he fashioned it out of a similar material that police officers made their nightsticks from.

I just asked him to make me batons made of a light material. You may have noticed that I have been fighting crime a lot more lately. And oh yes, I was more violent. But it had to be done. In my absence, crime had gone up significantly. The city had changed. And it was my philosophy that I had to change with it or be left behind.

I grabbed batons that hung on the inside of my closet and placed them on the bed along with my jeans. I pulled my pair of black tennis shoes out next. I grabbed the long sleeved black shirt out of my closet and tossed it onto my bed along with my other costume parts.

Next were my light brown leather jacket, my gloves and wrist gauntlet, and finally, my mask. I was dressed in under a few minutes and walked to my window. I quietly opened my window and slipped out.

 _?_

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

"She had a lot of money on her." I said, as I ran my fingers through the stack of twenties in my hand.

"We've had better." my partner said. "This is nothing."

"Yeah. I suppose you're right." I said.

Just then, I heard frantic, muffled speaking. I turned to see that the lady we had just robbed, now gagged and tied up was trying to speak. I approached her, putting my stack of twenties away.

"Shut the fuck up!" I yelled, as I backhanded her across the face.

I turned back to my partner.

"She is such a bitch, you know that?!" I exclaimed.

Before he could answer, he was hit in the jaw by a blunt object. His blood sprayed all over my face, temporarily blinding me.

 _Ben_

I took my aim and threw my baton across to the next rooftop. It slammed into one of the guys' jaw and his sprayed onto the other guy's face, causing him to frail around blindly. I grabbed my other baton and lifted my arm to fire my grapple hook.

Once the hook lodged into the concrete, I zipped across to the other rooftop. I landed and retracted the hook. I started with the guy who I had hit first. I kneed him in the stomach, causing him to fall down.

"Oof!" was all the guy could muster, as I noticed his buddy get up.

"The fuck?!" he said, as he ran to attack me. "Who the fuck do you think you are?!"

"Your worst God damn nightmare." I said, as I ran towards him.

I jumped and kicked myself off of his face and went into a back flip. I landed next to my second baton and picked it up.

"Alright. Which one of you fuckers is first?" I asked.

As the second guy recovered and the first guy tried to get back up, no one spoke.

"Okay then." I said, as I approached one of the guys.

I hit him on the top of his head with the end of one of my batons. He let out a grunt as he fell to the floor of the roof.

"You son of a bitch! My partner!" the other guy exclaimed with anger.

I turned to look at him. I holstered one of my batons as I moved towards him. I swung my baton at his face as he got close to me. I hit him in the jaw, and he lost a few teeth. I holstered my baton and began to punch him in the face.

"Stay out of my city!" I exclaimed, as I grabbed his head and forced his face down onto my knee. "And take your bullshit with you!"

He let out a groan after impacting with my knee and he fell to the floor of the rooftop. He didn't move anymore after that. I heard whimpering and I looked to their victim, a lady who had obviously suffered some kind of abuse. I walked up to her and tore the gag from her mouth.

I pick up the stack of twenties that they had stolen from her and handed it back to her. Next, I kicked open the door on the roof which led down a stairwell into the building.

"Go." I said, pointing down the stairs. "And don't be out at night again. You may not be so lucky next time."

She quickly got up and ran down the stairwell.

"Thank you!" she called behind her.

I let out a sigh once she was gone. I looked behind me, at the two thugs that were now out cold. I wasn't going to get paramedics up here. Scum like this deserved to ache up here by themselves for what they've done.

 _3:00 a.m._

I had come to my next big crime. In the past hour or so, I had stopped a few muggings, a couple of petty thieves, nothing of the big sort. It was now that a came across a hold up in progress at a 24-hour convenience store.

I slowly and cautiously crept into the store, silently closing the door behind me. A thug was holding up the cashier, pointing a gun into his face.

"Hurry up!" the thug exclaimed.

"Okay, okay!" the cashier exclaimed as he emptied out the register.

The cashier must have seen me sneaking up on the thug, because after a few more seconds, he backed up.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" the thug exclaimed.

The cashier said nothing as I finally reached the thug. I grabbed the back of his head.

"What the-" he was cut off as I slammed his face into the counter.

"How does it feel, huh?!" I exclaimed, as I pulled a baton out. "How does it feel to be a victim?!"

"Aw, fuck! Stop it!" the thug exclaimed. "Just stop it! I'll let it go!"

I slammed my baton into his hand, causing him to scream with pain.

"Like hell you will!" I exclaimed. "I've seen your kind! You will keep coming unless I do something about it!"

 _I am the One Man Army._

I whacked his hand again with my baton, followed by hitting him on the head with the end of one of my batons. He groaned, before falling from the counter to the floor. He didn't get back up.

"Who are you?" the cashier asked, as I looked at the thug.

I looked up at him.

"I'm Alien Guy." I said.

"Alien Guy?" he asked. "You look more like Ricochet. Minus the costume underneath the jacket."

"You a comic book reader?" I asked, as I began to walk away. "Cool. Call the police. Tell them this guy slipped and fell, hit his head on the counter. You never saw me. Close your store for the night."

"What about you?" the cashier asked.

"I'm heading out. You never saw me." I said, as I left the store.

I ran before the cashier could say anything else.

 _4:30 a.m._

I opened my window and slipped into my room, with blood dripping from my lips. I closed the window and turned on the light once I got to the other side of the room. Before I got back home, I stopped yet another mugging and was taken by surprise by the guy's partner.

He whacked me in the jaw. I think I may be losing a tooth here, but most likely my gums are just bleeding. I pulled off my mask and threw it onto my bed. I slipped off my leather jacket and it fell onto the bed along with my mask. I pulled off my jeans and long sleeved shirt before moving towards the bathroom.

I flicked on the light to the bathroom and entered. I looked into the mirror, as I opened the cabinet next to me. I took out a bottle of Tylenol to act as a painkiller for the pain in my jaw. I turned on the shower and let the water heat up.

I stripped off my socks and boxers and stepped into the shower just for a few minutes to rinse myself off. Once I had done that, I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself. After shutting off the light and collecting my dirty garments, I left the bathroom. I went back to my room to get dressed.

After I was dressed in pajama pants, socks and a white T-shirt, I returned to the room that Gwen and I shared, to find that she wasn't there. In fact, the whole room seemed to be well organized. I didn't see any of Gwen's things anywhere.

Her side of the bed had been made, while my side of the bed was just like it was when I had left. I looked around the room, unsure of what was going on. Then, I saw my phone. I walked over to it and picked it up, removing it from its charger. I saw that I had one new voicemail, from Gwen. I was curious and obviously, I was going to listen to it, but not in here.

I left our room and went back to my room to get my leather jacket. I was going to listen to the voicemail down in the basement. It was cold in the basement around this time of year in the early morning, so I wanted to have something to keep me warm for a while.

I made my way through the house, with my jacket now on. I walked downstairs towards the basement and flipped the light on, as I walked. I entered the basement and walked over to the couch. I sat down behind the couch and put my back up against it. I was a little bit nervous as to what the voicemail had in store for me.

But nevertheless, I took a deep breath, put my phone down on the floor, and pressed the play button.

"Ben, it's Gwen. Are you there? Of course, you're not there. You're never there. At least not for me." the voicemail started.

 _Not there for me? What?_

"Look, I didn't want to do this over the phone, but it's not like you've given me any choice." Gwen said over the voicemail. "In the last two weeks, when we sleep together, which is every night, I usually wake up in the morning alone or you'll still be asleep past noon. Jesus, where do you go at 1:00 in the morning?"

 _Out to fight crime._

"I thought that if I waited, if I were patient, this would just blow over and we could get our relationship back on track. And then I realized that there was no getting our relationship back on track." she continued. "I feel like as of late, I'm a second to you. It's as if you put crime fighting before me, it's as if _everything_ is before me. It's like I'm a second in everything to you."

 _That is so not true! You are the most important thing to me!_

"So, I'm not going to be a second to you. I'm going to end this before it even begins." she continued. "I think it's best that we break up. You obviously have other interests, and I don't want to stand in your way. So, I won't."

 _Break up with me?! But I don't want a break up!_

"We'll always be friends, Ben. I don't want this to cause us to have bad feelings for each other. So, let's not let it. Let's continue to hang out, and game, and whatever." she continued. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

The voicemail ended there. I sat there in devastation.

 _Gwen dumped me?_ I thought, as a tear rolled down my cheek.

 _Author's Note:_

* Now, hold on a second! I know a lot of people may be pissed right now and with good reason. Ben and Gwen just broke up! What?! Yeah, a lot of people will definitely be pissed.

* But I can ensure to you that the break up isn't permanent and by the time this arc ends, all will be well, and Ben and Gwen will be back together again. I just hope my readers will stay to watch it unfold.

* But anyway, there it was! The final chapter of 2018! I may post one for tomorrow, I'm not too sure yet. The next chapter is a bit iffy and long, I will say. So, if you guys want a chapter for tomorrow, just let me know.

* This arc may last four or five chapters, possibly more. That's pretty much all I have. I'm going to go though, so have a great day, a Happy New Year and bye!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _zaidhadden5 (Chapter 1): Ohhh why are they so old… I would have preferred 14 atleast Still loving that the story is Bwen and novel length. So your story is fav and followed._

Thanks, Zaid. They're not at least fourteen because there's enough trouble in their lives and I wanted to do my best to avoid the whole adolescence phase if I could. Thanks for favoriting and following the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 88): Earth-21 Gwen is blind?_

No, Daniel. Earth-21 Gwen is not blind. The beginning of last chapter took place in Old Man Ben's universe, which may or may not already have had a name. (Even if it did, I can always go back and change it later).

But no, no, Old Woman Gwen is not blind. It's just the fact that the cell house is pitch black without the lights on. She only used the cane to find the stairs. I can see where I confused you, though. Thanks for the review as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 88): And another great chapter a bit short but great congrats Merry Christmas and Happy New Year BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. Merry Christmas to you too, and a Happy New Year. Thanks for the review as always.

 _Sishen123 (Chapter 87): Is it just me or did anyone else that to be continued feel from that last bit with clancy? But wow the story is getting really dark here. Honestly though i see steel making ben a offer he cant refuse and ends up joining S.E.C.T anyways. Ben's attitude is in for a kick back down to plant earth eventually the thing i am curious as to who will be the one to do it. It would. Be ironically funny if it was a future cant wait to read more_

Thanks, Sishen. You were supposed to get that "to be continued feel" from the bit with Clancy there at the end. Yes, the story did get dark there for a while. Director Steel won't exactly be making Ben an offer that he can't refuse. We'll just have to see as we go. I'm glad that you can't wait for more. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 85): I loved the fluffiness between Ben and Gwen. The tickling, the kissing, you wrote it all perfectly. Amazing job. Wow, Ben's mother knows everything, even about the… mature stuff… that Ben and Gwen are doing! She's very smart. And yes, her advice is good, it's not the right time for Ben and Gwen to have a child XD_

 _The fight scene was great too, and yes, it shows how obsessive (and dangerous and powerful) Clancy really is._

Thanks, csgt. I'm glad that you liked that scene and I'm glad that you think it was well written. Also, on a completely unrelated topic, I saw that you changed your profile pic and I honestly like it! Sandra definitely wasn't born yesterday, you are right. Ben and Gwen are too young to have a child. I honestly don't like the way the fight scene turned out. I thought it was one of my worst ones yet. But thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Gwen and Ben recover from the fallout of their break up. There will be obstacles in their path. Ben makes the biggest mistake of his life.


	15. Chapter 90: The Heart's Desire: Part 2

Chapter 90: The Heart's Desire: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety! Nothing to say here, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Early December_

 _Ben's House_

 _She dumped me,_ I thought.

I laid on the basement carpet, on my back, clutching my leather jacket to my chest. I rolled over to look at my phone. I reached out to grab it.

 _This won't last. I should call her,_ I thought as I reached out. _We can work this out. We will!_

I picked up my phone and sat up as I unlocked it, opening my contacts. I had tapped on Gwen's information and was about to call her, when I stopped.

 _No, that won't work damn it._ I thought. _She'll just send me over to voicemail!_

I frowned as I lifted my hand with my phone still in hand.

 _Damn it, how did I do this to myself?!_ I thought as I threw my phone across the room.

It hit the wall next to doorway to the stairs and dropped to the carpet with soft thud.

 _God damn it,_ I thought. _Why did I do that?_

I got up and walked over to where my phone was. I picked it up and flipped it over, to see that the screen was badly scratched now. I pressed the button to open it up and it did nothing. I pressed it several more times, hoping for something to happen. But I got the same response.

 _Great,_ I thought. _Now I have a broken phone._

Just then the door to Albedo and Sunny's bedroom opened and I heard them both walk over to me.

"What the hell is going on out here?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

I turned around to face him, continuing to sport a glum look on my face. He didn't seem to care about the look on my face, so I didn't care to explain my situation to him.

"Just take your asses back to bed, Albedo." I said in an angry tone.

Sunny didn't like what I had to say.

"Hey, I know that I can be a bitch sometimes, but you really are an asshole!" she exclaimed.

Before I could respond, Albedo beat me to it. He turned to look at look at her.

"Hey, easy babe." He said in a soothing voice as he put his hand out. "I can handle this."

He turned back to look at me.

"So, what the hell are you doing down here?" he asked.

I held up my phone for them to see, the cracked side.

"Broke my phone." He said.

"Okay. Why did you break your phone?" he asked. "What's got you so angry in the first place?"

I wasn't in the mood to tell him.

"That's none of your business." I said. "Damn it, Albedo. Now go back to bed. Both of you!"

He looked back at Sunny, before looking back at me with a grin on his face. He stepped up to me.

"Why don't you try to fight me, so Gwen can run down here to break us up?" he asked. "Go on! Go 'head!"

For some reason, hearing Albedo say Gwen's name caused my temper to flare up.

"You don't say her name!" I yelled as I stepped forward and slugged him in the jaw as hard as I could.

Albedo stumbled backwards into Sunny and they both fell down. Sunny was probably angry and Albedo as well, but if he was, he wasn't showing it. Instead, he just got up, helping Sunny up as he went and looked at me.

"Dude, what has gotten into you today?" he asked.

I just stared at him, feeling as if I wanted to cry. But I didn't. Instead, I just spoke.

"Look, I have had a very rough night. I broke up a couple of petty thieves who gagged up a woman, as well as taking her money, I stopped a convenience store from being robbed and on top of all of that, I may have a loose tooth." I said. "And now, I just want to be left alone. So, if you can't do that, I will personally under the name of the Lord, pronounce you husband and wife, right here, right now!"

Albedo and Sunny exchanged confused glances. I heard angry footsteps coming down the stairs.

"What is going on down here?!" Dad exclaimed with anger.

"You may kiss the bride!" I exclaimed as I turned to face him, pointing at Sunny and Albedo.

Mom was right behind Dad coming down the stairs. They both looked confused, but that didn't stop Dad from getting angry.

"Ben, it is only past five o'clock in the morning." He said. "So, that being said, why are you down here screaming at the top of your lungs at only past five o'clock in the morning?!"

They didn't seem to notice the hurt look in my eyes. I looked down at my feet and then back up at them, my eyes tearing up. I backed up, so I could see Albedo and Sunny as well.

"Gwen dumped me." I said in a glum voice.

"What?" Mom asked with surprise.

"Oh my God!" Sunny exclaimed.

"What happened?" Dad asked.

Before I could answer, he noticed my leather jacket on the floor. And he had something to say about it.

"What's your leather jacket doing on the floor?" he asked. "You have no idea how expensive that was!"

"His leather jacket looks exactly like the one that Alien Guy character wears." Mom said.

Dad turned to look at her and then back to look at the jacket.

"You know what?" he asked. "You're right. Ben, why is that?"

I didn't answer.

"Ben, why does Alien Guy's jacket look exactly like yours?" he asked.

I looked down and then back up.

"Because," I said as I looked at my parents. "I am Alien Guy."

They both just looked at me with shock.

"W-What?" Mom asked in a tone of disbelief.

"You heard me." I said.

"I need to hear you _say_ it." She said. "Again."

"I'm. Alien. Guy." I said in a serious, louder tone.

Mom suddenly looked green, as if she were going to be sick. She backed up and leaned on the air hockey table, putting her hand on her baby bump. Dad turned to look at her with worry.

"Sandra, honey, you need to go back upstairs and lie down." He advised. "All of this stress, shock and worrying isn't good for the baby!"

She looked up at us, the color slightly returning to her face.

"No." she said. "I want to hear this."

"Sandra, you need to…"

"I want to hear this!" Mom screamed at us.

After the color had returned to her face and after she had calmed back down, Dad turned his attention to me.

"So, how long has it been?" he asked. "How long have you been… Alien Guy?"

"For a year. Since last Thanksgiving." I said, as I turned around and walked away.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, you get back here!" Mom exclaimed in an angry tone.

I walked over to the hole in the wall from last summer. Well, it wasn't much of a hole anymore. Over the past few months, Dad had done some work to it. He had cleaned up the floor, organized the inside cabinets, shelves and files, cleared it of all the cobwebs and he also reframed the area. So, now it was more of a doorway.

He had been wanting to put a door there, but we eventually just settled with putting a curtain over the door-less frame. I walked into the room, pushing the curtain back as I did. While I was in there, I grabbed the original Omnitrix blueprint, as well as the prototype Omnitrix, both of which Dad had decided to keep, rather than "throw away".

I walked back outside and placed the blueprint, as well as the prototype, down onto the air hockey table.

"Surely these will look familiar." I said, as I began fiddling with the Omnitrix.

After a few seconds, I switched it out of its camouflage mode and it revealed its true nature to my parents. They both stared at me with shock. Dad finally looked up at me.

"How come you never said anything?" he asked, still in shock.

I just stared at him.

"Really? "How come I never said anything?" I asked. "Well Dad, I can't imagine that you and Mom would be thrilled about having a freak for a son."

They looked almost offended by what I had said.

"You're not a freak, Ben!" Dad said. "Why would you call yourself a…"

"I'm a freak! A freak, a freak, a freak!" I said as I pointed at the Omnitrix. "For all I know, this thing could be twisting my DNA as we speak!"

"You are not a freak!" Mom said to me. "And you're right, the Omnitrix could be changing you."

"And you two would know, right?" I asked.

Mom and Dad exchanged glances. Dad eventually looked at me.

"You know? You know that your Mom and I were in the squad with Agent Steel, when he first used the prototype?" he asked.

"Of course, I do." I said. "It'd be very hard to believe that I when just randomly found all of this information, I didn't look into _all_ of it."

Dad didn't say anything.

"Yeah. So, your Dad and I were a part of S.E.C.T. at one point." Mom said. "So, I guess that Director Steel coming to visit us out of the blue wasn't "just out of the blue" then?"

I nodded.

"He's been trying to convince me to come over to S.E.C.T." I said. "He wants to train me to use the Omnitrix correctly."

"And you don't want to join S.E.C.T. because…?" Dad finally spoke, fishing for an answer.

"I don't want any part of them." I said. "I hate Director Steel for not realizing that he had a son."

"He didn't know." Dad said.

"Whatever." I shrugged.

"You do realize that the prototype right there isn't the one from the story, right?" Dad asked.

I shook my head.

"Well, where's the one that Director Steel wore that night?" I asked.

He shrugged, along with Mom.

"You'd have to ask Director Steel." He said. "He was the one caught in that explosion that night. And we only saw him again for the first time in decades a few months ago."

"But I am a freak." I said.

"No, you're not." Mom said.

"Yeah, son! You're not a freak!" he said. "I mean, we were okay with you being with Gwen, we…"

"Don't say her name!" I exclaimed with anger.

Dad stepped back with concern, but he wasn't angry it seemed. In fact, he seemed relatively patient with me.

"Ben, we knew what Albedo was the second we saw him for the first time." He said as he looked elsewhere. "We're not too sure what Sunny is, but we're working on that."

I looked back to look at them both. I eventually turned back to my parents.

"Albedo is a clone of me." I said.

"We know." Dad said.

"And Sunny is a clone of Gwen." I said.

"We know." Mom answered this time.

"The Omnitrix created a clone of me from my DNA template." I said.

They both nodded, thank God they didn't say "we know" for a third time.

"And Sunny is a clone of Gwen, bred by the Forever Knights." I said. "She was bred with the sole purpose of killing me. When we first met, she stabbed me in the stomach with a Sai."

Mom's eyes widened.

"You were stabbed?!" she exclaimed as she moved closer to me. "Show me, show me now!"

I let out a sigh as I lifted up my shirt, my face turned red, as I showed off my toned abs, thanks to the Omnitrix. Mom and Dad just stared at my stomach.

"But there's nothing there!" Dad said. "I thought you said that you had been stabbed!"

"I was." I said as I lowered my shirt. "But the Omnitrix endows me with a healing factor. It's definitely not up to par with Wolverine's healing factor, but I still have one."

Mom said nothing.

"For example, I was shot in the shoulder once while you guys were in Vegas." I said as I pulled the shoulder of my shirt down. "And now nothing, you see?"

She still said nothing.

"Oh, and there was one time where I fell through a skylight and hit the ground face-first, one floor below." I said. "I should have broken my nose and my jaw, but I didn't. I mean, I was bleeding from my nose and spitting out blood for most of that night, but whatever."

Mom still said nothing.

"Wow." Was all Dad said.

"Also, my uh, skin can't be broken." I said. "Believe me, I've tried."

"You've tried?" Mom asked. "What does that mean?"

"I've tried cutting myself with a steak knife multiple times." I said. "Never worked."

Mom and Dad just looked at each other with shocked expressions.

"Oh, check this out." I said as I turned to look at Sunny. "Sunny, come here and bite me on the arm."

"What?" she asked as she gave me a confused look.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun!" I said. "I'm a dick! Just come over here and bite me on the arm, you know you want to!"

Sunny rolled her eyes, but finally came over to me. I held out my arm, she grabbed hold of it and bit down on it, as hard as she could. She bit as hard as she could, but no matter how hard she tried, my skin wouldn't break.

"Ow!" Sunny exclaimed as she pulled away.

I looked at her with confusion.

"Are you okay?" Albedo asked.

"Yeah." She said as she backed up into him. "I think I bit down too hard."

I showed my parents my arm.

"See?" I asked. "She bit down so hard, yet she didn't break the skin!"

Dad just looked at me.

"Didn't it hurt? When she bit you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"No, it actually tickled now that I think about it." I said.

No one said anything.

"Also, here's another thing about Sunny that you should know." I said. "She can't have children. As she was born in a test tube, the Forever Knights denied her the necessary internal parts to have children."

The room seemed even more silent now, if that was possible.

"I hate you, you know that?" Sunny asked.

I turned my head to look at her.

"I love you too, darling!" I said with sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay, okay." Mom said. "I need to know the whole story."

I turned to look at her.

"The whole story?" I asked in a nervous tone.

"I want to hear the full story of how you became Alien Guy. From then to now." She said. "From the beginning to the end. Beginning, middle, end. Details."

"The whole story?" I said again.

"Ben!" Mom exclaimed.

"Okay, okay." I said. "But sit down first. This isn't a short story and we may be here a while."

 _Two Hours Later_

"And that's it." I said. "I didn't leave anything out."

Dad stood staring off into space, as if he were still trying to comprehend everything he had just been told, while Mom sat on the couch. Sunny was asleep in Albedo's lap, while Albedo looked as though he were struggling to stay awake himself.

"I want to see a costume!" Mom exclaimed. "I want to see the costume!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" I said. "Give me a second."

I got up from the couch and walked upstairs. Once I had gotten to my room and I had grabbed all of the pieces of my costume, batons included, I walked back downstairs. I laid the costume, gauntlets and batons on the floor for them to see. Well, just Mom, Dad and Albedo. Sunny was still asleep.

"What are those for?" Mom asked, pointing at the batons.

"What do you think they are for?" I asked with confusion.

"Ben, don't you dare say it…" she said.

"They're used to beat people." I said.

"Oh my God." She said.

"It's not as bad as you think." I said.

"Oh my God." She repeated.

"Are you the only one who has a costume?" Dad asked.

"No." I said. "Gwen and Albedo have one, too. Well, Gwen had one."

"Where is Gwen anyway?" he asked.

"She dumped me." I said.

Mom and Dad both looked surprised, as well as sympathetic.

"How did it happen?" Mom asked.

"She thought that she was being a second to me, as if I was putting fighting crime before her." I said. "I was out as often as I could be, making sure that another thing like the Infinity Killer couldn't happen ever again."

"How often did you go out?" Dad asked.

"From about one in the morning to four thirty." I said.

Mom and Dad both gave me shocked expressions.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked.

"No." I said, shaking my head.

Mom looked extremely worried.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked.

"Do you think I'm kidding?" I asked.

"Ben, you don't get to do that." She said as she rubbed her temples from irritation. "I don't need this right now. I'm pregnant on top of this and it's giving me stress. You know what? You're done. You don't to be a hero anymore. I want you to hand in that costume and the Omnitrix, right now!"

I looked at her out of shock. I had no idea how to respond, but Dad spoke for me.

"Is there anything else that you think we should know, Ben?" he asked. "Does Gwen help you with crime fighting? What about Sunny and Albedo?"

"Yeah." I said. "All three of them help me. In fact, Gwen's been referred to as an "Anodite-Human" hybrid. What is that?"

"That's a long story that I'm not interested in telling you right now." He said. "Now, what about my question?"

"They all have their own costumes." I said. "Except for Albedo. He kind of just does his own thing."

"What's Sunny's costume?" he asked.

I was about to answer, but then I stopped and turned to walk into their bedroom. I walked to the bed and got on my knee, and pulled the chest out from under the bed, the one that I knew held Sunny's armor and Twin Sais. I walked out of the room with the chest in my hands and once I got back to the couch, I laid it on the floor and opened it, showing off the pieces of combat armor that Sunny wore, as well as the pair of Twin Sais that she used as weapons.

"There you go." I said. "The Sais were given to her by the Forever Knights. But she's on a strict "no killing" rule. Trust me, I made the rule."

Dad just looked at me.

"What was Gwen's costume?" he asked.

I blushed as I facepalmed. I eventually looked up at them.

"She chose to wear a skin tight leather jumpsuit." I said.

Mom and Dad exchanged glances and I could tell what both of them were thinking. Dad eventually looked back at me.

"Okay, we'll come back to that later." He said. "Anything else about her that we should know?"

"Yeah, she wore a pretty, violet jewel that turned her hair black and her eyes blue." I said. "Ken called the jewel "The Charm of Bezel". Any idea what that is?"

"Yeah." Dad said. "But that's another story for another day. Anything else you can think of tell us?"

"Yeah." I said. "The Omnitrix enhances all five of my senses. Now, it seems all of my senses function with superhuman sharpness."

"Really?" Mom asked. "I want examples."

"Okay." I said. "Um, we'll start with sight. I can see even better than I ever have, and I can see in absolute darkness. It's as if darkness is as clear as daylight for me."

"Um, okay." Mom said. "Wow."

"And for my hearing, I can hear so much better." I said. "Once I heard a rifle cocking from a block away. And whenever someone near me is whispering, I can hear them clearly as if they're right next to me."

Mom and Dad looked surprised.

"Really?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah! Want me to prove it?" I asked. "Whisper something into Mom's ear and I'll tell you what you said."

Dad shrugged, but he leaned closer to Mom nonetheless. He began whispering into Mom's ear.

"Ben's birthday present is a new Xbox." He whispered.

"My birthday present is a new Xbox?" I asked.

Dad turned to look at me with surprise.

"Oh, you actually heard that?" he asked.

"Um, yeah." I said. "Did you not believe me?"

He just shrugged, while Mom shook her head.

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag on that one." He said. "What do your other senses do?"

"Well, my sense of taste is an interesting one." I said. "Whenever I taste something, I could tell you what all of the ingredients in said thing is."

"Like Daredevil!" Albedo said.

I turned to look at him.

"Hey, all of my senses are like Daredevil's enhanced senses!" I said. "But I don't say that."

"What about the last two senses?" Mom asked. "Touch and smell?"

"Well, my sense of touch is the second most interesting, I think at least. For one, everything I touch has a unique texture. And I could tell you what the color on something is, with my eyes closed." I said. "And I can read with my eyes closed. Whenever I touch the pages of a book, the ink stands out. So, I can feel the ink and read it that way. It's like reading braille in a sense."

"And what about smell?" Mom said, sounding as if she had no interest in what I had said about my touch.

"My sense of smell is the most interesting." I said. "Everyone I'm around has a unique scent. And I can pick up that scent and tell you who the person is, without having to look at them or hear them speak."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Okay." Mom said. "What does Gwen smell like to you?"

"Strawberries." I said.

"What do I smell like to you?" Albedo asked.

"Oddly enough, you smell like cold steel." I said.

Albedo gave me a look of confusion.

"What did Clancy smell like?" he asked.

"Clancy? The Infinity Killer?" I asked. "He smelled like pure death."

"Um, wow." Albedo said. "What about Sunny? What does Sunny smell like to you?"

I was slightly offended by the question.

"Do you really expect me to answer that question?" I asked.

Albedo shrugged. Surprisingly, Sunny was still asleep in his lap.

 _I will say this. This was the only thing that I liked about Sunny. Whenever I was around her, I smelled the scent of pineapples. I don't know why I picked up that scent or why I liked it so much, but I didn't complain._

"Okay, all of this is great and all," Mom said. "But you're still being punished."

I looked at her.

"Um, what?" I asked.

"All of this is going away, Ben." She said. "I'm forbidding you from being a hero anymore."

"I'm sorry, but excuse me?" I asked. "I need to keep doing this. I need to…"

"No, you don't!" Mom exclaimed with anger. "I am your mother and what I say goes! You are my son and I'm worried that you're going to get yourself killed! So, from now on, you're forbidden from playing hero!"

I was in shock.

"But that's not fair!" I said. "Someone's got to do something!"

"True, but why you, Ben?" Dad asked.

"Because, I can." I said. "Because, I'm not afraid."

"Well, afraid or not, you're are no longer allowed to play hero." Mom said. "I can't have my only son out there risking his life."

"Mom, I thought you'd be proud of me!" I protested. "You know, knowing that I'm trying to make the city a safer place?"

Mom didn't say a word. She turned to Dad.

"I want that suit where I can see it from now on." She whispered into his ear.

"I heard that." I said.

She flashed me a look of anger. I let out a sigh of frustration.

"You know what?" I asked. "I'm going to go for a walk. I need some to myself and I need to think."

"A walk? Now?" Mom asked. "It's not even eight o'clock yet!"

"I don't care." I said as I walked past her.

I walked up the stairs and to my bedroom. I got dressed and then left the house.

 _Two Hours Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I had been walking downtown for about an hour and a half now and I was finally sick of walking. I walked into an alley and I sat down on the ground, with my back up against the brick wall. I let out a sad sigh as I looked at the ground. That's when I heard the voice.

"Rough day we're having, isn't it, Mr. Tennyson?" the voice asked.

I looked up and saw someone standing over me. Their face was blurred from the sunlight. Eventually they walked closer to me and their face was revealed. It was Kevin.

"Kevin?" I asked in disbelief.

"Mind if I sit down?" he asked.

"Go right ahead!" I exclaimed.

He walked over and sat down next to me, putting his back up against the wall as well.

"So, you want to tell me what has you so bummed out?" he asked.

I sighed as tears came to my eyes.

"Gwen dumped me." I said as I looked up at him. "And my parents found out that I'm Alien Guy. Mom isn't letting me be a superhero anymore!"

Kevin said nothing for a second or two.

"Okay, what's the worst part of this to you?" he asked.

"It's obvious, Kevin." I said. "The worst part of all of this is Gwen breaking up with me."

"And she was your rock." He said. "She was the one who listened to all of your problems when no one else would."

"Exactly." I said.

Once again, Kevin went silence.

"I don't know what to do, Kevin." I said. "I don't know how to go on."

"You will go on, Ben." He said. "You have to."

"But how do you know?" I asked.

"Trust me, I know. You got over it when I died, and you'll get over this." He said. "Mind you, Gwen may not be dead, but you can get over this and you will."

The mention his death made me want to cry.

"But I can't be a superhero anymore, either!" I said.

"You'll find a way to get over all of this, Ben." He said. "You always do."

That's when the question hit me.

"Kevin," I asked. "Is any of this real?"

He was silent for a few seconds.

"Of course not, Ben." He said. "You're imagining this. All of this is just make believe."

I looked down at the ground.

"So, I'm crazy?" I asked.

Kevin didn't answer for a second, as he got up next to me.

"Don't kick yourself so hard, Ben." He said, every word he spoke sounded farther and farther away. "We all go a little crazy sometimes."

As he finished his sentence, I could barely hear his final words. I looked up, to see no one. I was alone in an alley. I let out a sigh as I stood up. I walked out of the alley. I needed to talk to someone and I knew exactly who to go to.

 _Sometime Later_

I hesitated as I stood in front of the closed door. I considered just leaving and going back home. I let out a sigh as I decided against it and began walking down the hall. But as I got only a few feet from the door, I decided that I didn't want to be alone right now. I turned around and ran back to the door and began knocking.

After a few seconds, the door opened, and I saw Julie on the other side, wearing sweatpants and a light pink hoodie. Despite the fact that our last meeting didn't end well, she didn't look displeased to see me. In fact, when she saw the look on my face, a concerned look appeared on her face.

"Ben," she said. "What is it?"

"Can I come in?" I asked, feeling as though I was choking on my words.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

I looked down as I put my hand over my eyes.

"Gwen dumped me." I said as I felt like I was going to cry again.

I walked in even though she didn't invite me in and hugged myself up against her. She was taken back by surprise, but eventually she put her arms around me and began to pat my back.

"It's okay, Ben." She said. "It's okay."

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

Half an hour had passed, and in that time, Julie had formerly invited me in and had calmed me down enough to get me to talk. I had told her about everything that had happened so far today.

"So, your parents know about Alien Guy?" she asked.

I nodded without a word as I looked down at the floor.

"And your Mom forbids you from continuing being Alien Guy?" she asked.

I nodded once more.

"And," she spoke, this time her voice being uneasy. "Gwen dumped you?"

I sniffled as I nodded once again.

"Listen Ben, I want to take you out to dinner." She said.

I looked up at her.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, I want to." She said. "And I know it'll make you feel better. So, will you give me an hour or two to finish my homework and get ready?"

I said nothing.

"Ben?" she asked with concern.

I let out a sigh.

"Take all the time you need." I said. "I'll stay here until you're done."

 _Two and a Half Hours Later_

Julie and I eventually went to a small diner for dinner. It was late afternoon now and the sun was just beginning to go down. I know that sounds weird, considering it may seem like barely half of the day had gone by, but time had gone by faster than I thought.

"Pick anything you want off of the menu." Julie said. "My treat."

I looked up at Julie. Her appearance was virtually the same. She still wore sweatpants and a pink sweater. She also had her black hair pulled into a ponytail, which painfully reminded me of Gwen.

"Um, okay." I said.

If her appearance was virtually the same, then I had no idea why she claimed that she needed to get ready. I suppose she could have meant needing to get her keys, purse and get her shoes on. Eventually I settled on ordering a burger with fries. All Julie had was a chicken salad and a lemonade. Once our food came, we talked as we ate.

"So, are you going to be okay?" she asked.

"I don't know." I said. "I don't know how I'll go on without Gwen. And Alien Guy was a huge stress reliever for me. Now that I'm forbidden from playing hero, I just don't know."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to cope." Julie said. "You always do."

"Mmm-hmm." Was all I murmured.

Dinner was pretty much quiet after that.

 _One Hour Later_

Julie and I were back in her apartment. We had been talking for the previous half an hour after we got back from dinner.

"You'll get her back, Ben." She replied. "I don't know how, but I know you will."

"Uh-huh." I said as I nodded.

"Well, it's getting late, Ben." She said. "You really should get home."

I looked up at her.

"Yeah," I said. "You're right. Will you see me out?"

"Of course." She said as we both stood up.

She walked with me to the door of her apartment and once we were there, we both just stood motionless.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later." She said as she looked at me.

"Yeah." I said, as I turned my head a little to turn the doorknob.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Julie leaning in. I had no idea that she was trying to kiss me on the cheek. It was only later that I realized that. I originally thought she was going to say something to me. So, I turned my head to look at her and her lips touched mine, instead of my cheek.

Both of our eyes widened with shock as this happened. We both immediately pulled away, blushing bright red.

"Um, sorry." We both said in unison.

I probably should have left at that point, but I just continued standing there, staring at her as she stared at me. And then, I made the biggest mistake of my life. Rather, I was unable to prevent the biggest mistake of my life from happening. Point is, mistakes were made. Suddenly, Julie and I pulled ourselves closer and our lips met.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for the chapter. Before you all start bashing me and hating on me because Ben and Julie kissed, just calm down. They aren't starting a relationship. This is just a stupid mistake that both of them made. So just calm down and give the story some time. I won't say it again, but everything is going to be fine between Ben and Gwen. I just ask that you calm down and see this arc through.

* That's all I'm going to say. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 89): And another great chapter congrats Phew, good you explained everything at the end I thought Ben and Gwen would break up permanently phew, what a relief BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. No, this isn't a permanent break up, even if it may seem like it. And I know you may not like how this chapter ends and you may not like the beginning of the next chapter, but I promise you: Julie and Ben won't start a relationship. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _FireSoulKid (Chapter 89): your right. I am considering not reading this anymore because of that._

Thanks, Fire Soul. Seriously, if you want to continue reading just to finish what you started, that's great. But in the end, if you don't like what you're reading, then don't. I wouldn't want any of my readers to read if they didn't like the content. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 86): Sorry for the late review. I'm still working on my project but I shouldnt take so long to read a chapter. I'm glad that Gwen wasn't mad at Ben for following her. And considering that now Clancy has her cell phone and probably her too, Ben was right to be looking out for her before._

 _She shouldnt have went out alone. I think someone is tampering with the weather. I liked Ben's conversation with Cooper. I'm curious to see the finished version of the prototype he's building. I think Ben shouldnt quit again. I think Ken shouldn't try to 'out' Ben's secret to his other friends._

 _I'm not sure why is he doing this, is it because he believes it's the right thing to do? Or does he want to put Ben in a bad spot? He seems cool and friendly, but considering the fight from before I'm not sure. Wow, what a cliffhanger! Great job._

Thanks, csgt. Take your time on that project if you want to. Yes, Ben was right to be looking after Gwen. No comment on anyone tampering with the weather. It'll be a while before we see what Cooper was working on. Yes, Ken shouldn't try that. He thinks that Ben shouldn't keep something like that from his friends and is willing to force him to speak up if he takes too long. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben faces conflict with Julie. Ben convinces Julie to make a choice. Ben arrives home to face a distraught, fearful mother.


	16. Chapter 91: The Heart's Desire: Part 3

Chapter 91: The Heart's Desire: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety One!

* I don't have anything to say, let's just get right down into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Late That Night_

 _Julie's Apartment_

I remember. I remember how stupid I had been. When Julie and I had accidentally kissed the first time, I should have just left. But did I? Of course not. I was stupid, still grieving over the break up with Gwen and so, I decided to stay with Julie for the night. We fucked. And I regret every second of it.

I remember Julie's moans of pleasure bouncing off the walls as I would thrust into her. During the whole time, I was imagining that it was Gwen I was having sex with. I imagined Gwen moaning out my name in pleasure. But it didn't do me any good. No matter what I thought about, I had that feeling that I was guilty. I felt like in this act I had cheated on Gwen, even though we had broken up.

I let out a sigh as I sat on the edge of Julie's bed, her sheets and blanket covering my naked form. What had happened here was wrong. Like I said before, I should have left. But of course, I didn't.

"Ben?" I heard Julie whisper my name.

I thought she had been asleep. I guess she had woken up and noticed that she was no longer snuggled up against me. I let out a sigh once more.

"I'm right here." I said as I reached out and put my hand on her bare shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she began to sit up.

"No." I answered.

Julie came to sit on the edge of her bed with me, holding the sheet up and covering her chest, which I silently thanked God for that.

"What is it?" she asked. "I thought it was good. Was I not good enough for you?"

"You were fine." I said. "It's just that this was a mistake. We shouldn't have done this."

"What's so wrong about it?" she asked.

"Besides the fact that you're older than me?" I asked. "It's…"

"What has me being older than you got to do with anything?" she asked. "You're almost eighteen and I'm twenty four! What's so bad about a six year age gap?"

I didn't answer.

"I mean, my father was five years older than my Mom when they first got together!" she said. "And it worked out fine! They got married and they had me! What's so bad about age differences?"

I sighed.

"Well, I guess it's not the age difference itself." I said.

Julie didn't speak for a few seconds.

"It's Gwen you want to be with, isn't it?" she asked.

I looked at her.

"It's really that obvious?" I asked as I began to tear up.

"Hey now, don't start crying on me." She said as she gently took my hand. "Yes, it's obvious. But it's obvious because I know you love her. And you know you love her."

I looked at her gratefully.

"You'll get her back." She said. "I don't know how, but eventually you'll win her back over."

"How can I?" I asked. "It's my fault. I've worked myself so hard in being Alien Guy that I've made it seem to her that I don't have time for her and that all I want to do is be Alien Guy!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Julie tutted, before speaking. "Don't do that. Don't doubt yourself. That may have happened, but it's in the past. Now you know what not to do. Lay off the costume for a while, go to her, apologize and you'll see that soon you'll be back together."

I thought for a moment.

"But after having slept with you, it feels like I cheated on her!" I said.

"Are you still in a relationship with her?" Julie asked, regarding me with a serious look.

"No." I said in a glum tone.

"Then you couldn't have cheated on her." She said. "You would still have to be her boyfriend in order to cheat on her. Since you're not, it's impossible for you to have done so."

I sighed.

"You are a good friend, Julie. I'm sorry I haven't said that yet." I said. "I love you like that, Julie."

I turned to face her, to see that she was regarding me with a strange look. She had taken what I had said in a different meaning then I had indented.

"I mean like a friend!" I exclaimed. "I love you like a friend, Julie! I don't mean that I love _love_ you!"

She just chuckled.

"What?" I asked with confusion.

"I love you, too." She said. "But would it be weird if I say that I love you like a brother?"

"Um, yeah, okay." I said as I turned to look away. "You just had to said that."

"Okay, okay." Julie said as she chuckled. "Maybe that was a bad joke."

"You think?" I asked.

She sighed.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I shouldn't have allowed this to happen."

"Don't. You have nothing to be sorry about." I said. "I should have walked out after our lips touched. But I didn't. This is on me."

I could barely see Julie shake her head out of my peripheral vision.

"No, Ben. I was the one who pushed you to do "it"." She said. "I could have stopped myself, but I didn't. Jeez, Ben. I feel like I took advantage of you."

"You didn't." I said.

"But I feel like I did." She said.

"You didn't." I insisted.

We both fell silent after that. Finally, she spoke.

"So, are you going to stay the night?" she asked. "It's getting late."

I shook my head.

"Julie, you and I both know that I shouldn't stay and sleep in the same bed as you after what happened." I said as I looked at her.

Her eyes widened as I said that.

"No, no, no!" she said. "I didn't mean that we'd sleep in the same bed! I was going to offer you the couch!"

My face flushed.

"Oh, that's what you meant." I said. "I kind of made this weird, didn't I?"

"Yeah, kind of." Julie said.

There was silence again.

"But will you stay, Ben?" she asked.

I sighed as I got up from her bed. I went over to the pile that was made up of my clothes and grabbed my boxers.

"No," I said. "It's late and besides, I've been out all day. My Mom's probably worried herself to death by now. I really need to get home."

"I can drive you home." She offered as I pulled my jeans on.

I shook my head.

"Thanks Julie, but it's enough trouble that I've been out all day and night." I said. "Can you imagine how she'll react when she sees her son pull into the driveway with a girl she's never seen?"

She was silent for a few seconds.

"I see your point." She said at last.

"I'm glad we agree." I said.

I sat back down on the bed as I put my socks back on.

"Ben?" Julie said my name.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"What about Alien Guy?" she asked. "What are you going to do about that situation?"

I sat there, trying to decide what I should say. I finally decided to speak in a bit of a riddle.

"Can one man, one Alien Guy make a difference?" I asked. "There are days where I believe and others when I've lost all faith. Today was one of those days."

"Ben?" she asked with confusion.

I didn't say anything for a second.

"I think I'm going to just quit." I said. "Throw in the towel."

"You're going to quit again?!" Julie asked with shock. "Why would you do that now?! Especially after all that's happened!"

"Julie…" I said as I tried to reason with her, but to no avail.

"Especially now, when the city needs you the most!" she said. "In the aftermath of a serial killer attack!"

"Julie…" I said, trying again to reason with her.

"There was a serial killer that brutally murdered two of your classmates and you want to quit again?!" she asked, interrupting me again. "Why would you think of such an idea?!"

"Julie!" I exclaimed with frustration. "Will you just let me say my piece?"

I looked at her as she looked back at me with annoyance.

"Fine." She finally said.

"Thank you." I said. "Look, I'm most likely done being Alien Guy, no matter how I feel about the concept."

"Why?" she asked with annoyance.

I shot her a disapproving glance.

"Because, now my parents know that I'm Alien Guy, Mom forbids me from going out as Alien Guy any further." I said.

"Why do you let that stop you?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes as I sighed.

"You don't know my mother, Julie." I said. "You don't go against what she says. In fact, she's probably put my costume into a backpack and stashed it away for me to never again find, as we speak."

"Oh, um, okay." She said. "I guess I see your point."

"You guess?" I asked with annoyance.

"I'm not saying anything else." She said.

"Hey, whatever." I said. "That's cool."

There was silence as I put on the rest of my clothes. Once I had done that, I walked towards the door to her bedroom.

"So, you're just going to leave?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." I said. "But I really have to get home."

There were a few seconds of silence after that.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you later." She said at last.

"Yeah." I said. "See you."

I was about to walk towards the door to her apartment, when I sighed and stopped in my tracks. I turned around to look at Julie.

"Before I go, I think I should talk about something with you." I said.

She looked up at me.

"Okay." She said.

"I need to talk to you about Cooper." I said.

A look of surprise appeared on her face.

"What?" I asked with confusion.

"How did you know?" she asked. "How did you know that I like him?"

The words shocked me.

 _Was Julie saying that she had a crush on Cooper?_ I thought.

"I, uh, didn't know." I said, which caused her to look even more surprised. "I just think that he likes you."

She didn't say anything.

"If you like him, then I think you should give him a chance." I said. "Offer to take him to lunch or take him to a movie, see where it takes you guys."

"Why are you telling me this?" she spoke at last.

"Because," I said. "I just want you to be happy."

"And I'm not happy now?" she asked.

"You may be. But having a companion could make you much happier." I said. "And it can't be me. Besides the fact that this was a one time thing, an accident and that it should mean nothing to us, I have Gwen. Well, I had Gwen. Even if it weren't for the fact that Gwen's the girl for me, along with the fact that there's an age gap between us, you wouldn't be happy with me."

"How would you know that?" she asked, giving me a quizzical look. "We're not together, nor I imagine a scenario where we would be, so how can you know?"

"Trust me, Julie." I said. "With me having to be Alien Guy and having to be out late at night, you could stress yourself out to the point of a heart attack, thinking about me lying bleeding or dead in a ditch somewhere."

She shrugged.

"I wouldn't be stressed out." She said. "I know that you can handle yourself. Well, at least I think I can. Besides, I thought you said you were quitting again? After your mom forbidding you to continue?"

"Whatever you say, Julie." I said. "And yeah, so my Mom forbids me from continuing being Alien Guy. But I turn eighteen later this week and after I move out later this year, there will be little she can do to prevent me from doing hero work once more."

She smirked at me.

"So, you aren't going to quit?" she asked.

"Well, what I just said, that's a hypothetical scenario." I said. "I'm still quitting."

"At least for now." Julie said.

"Julie." I said in an annoyed tone.

"You and I both know that you aren't done for good." She said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine." I said. " _For now_."

Julie closed her eyes and smiled, being content with what she had gotten out of me. I turned back to the door, ready to leave, before turning around again.

"Oh, before I go, one more thing." I said. "I just want to say that I'm sorry, Julie."

She opened her eyes and looked at me with surprise.

"Sorry?" she asked. "Sorry about what?"

"That fight we got into a while back." I said. "It wasn't right for me to have yelled at you. I shouldn't have, and I want to apologize. So, I'm sorry, Julie."

She looked at me, with an expressionless face, as if she were trying to decide what to say. She finally spoke after half a minute or so of silence.

"That's okay, Ben. But really, there's no need for you to apologize." She said. "You were stressed out after your first meeting with the Infinity Killer, I understand. I don't hold a grudge against you."

"It makes me feel like shit, though." I said.

"Just forget about it!" she insisted. "I'm not mad at you, Ben!"

"Okay." I said in an unsteady voice. "I guess I'm going to leave now."

"Good night, Ben." She said. "Get home safe."

"Thanks." I said. "Oh, and promise me that you'll at least give Cooper a chance?"

She looked up at me and her eyes gleamed in the dimly lit room. I could barely see her smile in the combination of the dim light and the moonlight coming in from the window.

"I promise, I will." She said.

 _One Hour Later_

 _Ben's House_

I let out a sigh as before opening the door.

"Well, here I am. Sure hope that I don't wake…" I spoke as I opened the door, to see Mom sitting on the couch, staring intently at the door. "…Mom."

I stood there in the doorway, as Mom stared back at me. After what felt like several minutes of her staring at me, she finally took a deep breath.

"Where have you been?" she asked in a low, calm voice, just low enough for me to hear.

The fact that she was speaking in a calm tone was what scared me. Normally and also considering that she was pregnant, I would imagine she'd be screaming right now. You know, because of the hormones?

"I was out." I whispered back.

"You were out?" she asked. "You've been "out" all day. So, where have you been?"

"I told you." I said. "I went out."

"Oh, close the door now." She said. "And sit down."

I did as she said, closed the door and walked over to the single person loveseat, and sat down.

"I'll ask again." Mom said. "Where have you been?"

"I went to a friend's house." I said.

"Oh, did you?" she asked, "See, I called all of your friends and they all said the same thing: that they haven't seen you at all today."

"I _was_ at a friend's house." I insisted.

"Which friend's house?" she asked.

"A friend." I said.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, I am doing my very best to keep from yelling at you right now." She said. "So, please just tell me what I want to know."

I let out a sigh.

"Fine." I said. "I was at Julie's apartment."

"Julie?" she asked. "Who's Julie?"

I sighed once more.

"Right, you don't know who Julie is, nor have you ever met her." I said.

Mom continued to stare intently at me, awaiting an answer from me.

"Julie is the girl that patched me up after I was shot." I said. "I went to her whenever I needed medical help."

"Why didn't you just go to a hospital?" she asked.

I was shocked to hear her say that to me.

"It would have endangered my identity." I said. "If the police had found me, which at the time I was wanted for questioning, it wouldn't have ended well."

"You were wanted?" she asked. "What did you do?"

"The city thinks that I burned down an apartment building." I said.

"Did you?" she asked.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked. "I would never burn down a building, let alone anything! I'm a good person!"

"I wouldn't know." She said as she looked away. "You're my son and I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

 _Wow, is this for real?_ I thought. _My own mother is saying that she feels like she doesn't know me anymore!_

"Wow." I said. "I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing."

Mom said nothing at first.

"You should go on to bed. There will be more to talk about tomorrow." She said. "You will most likely be grounded. Again. Off to bed now."

"Great." I whispered to myself.

I got off of the couch and walked towards the room that Gwen and I had shared. Well, it was just me now. I opened the door, flicked on the light and stepped into a room that felt empty without Gwen and all of her stuff. I let out a sigh as I flopped down onto the bed.

 _Ugh, what a day._ I thought.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* So, I know things seem rough. They'll get better. Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _csgt (Chapter 87): Nice finale to this arc! Cooper was the real MVP here, giving Ben what he needed to defeat Clancy I hadn't made any connection between Clancy and Venom before, but now I see, the bugs are kind of a symbiote. In this case, I think Clancy is probably closer to Carnage – a psycho killer._

 _Who reminded me of Venom a lot in this fic is the Omnitrix talking to Ben XD Ouch, by Ben's line, I have the feeling that he is doing a 180. Before he didn't even want to be Alien Guy, now it looks like he's going to bury himself into work and cut off ties with family and friends. No, Ben, moderation is the key! Nice chapter, congrats_

Thanks, csgt. Now that you mention it, I never made a connection between Clancy and Carnage. It's only when you mention that, that I realize how accurate the comparison is. And there are a couple nods to Venom. The dark texture of his bug costume and the black tongue he has being the two that stand out the most. And his hatred for Ben, I suppose.

And yes, I can see why the Omnitrix reminds you of Venom. I haven't fully explained why it's sentient, but I'll get to that point eventually. He's pretty much doing a 180, you are right. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 88): A short chapter, but good! I enjoyed Gwen's talk with Vilgax. Even though I'd probably have preferred if you had been inspired by the scene with Sansa Stark and Ramsay Bolton where Sansa feed Ramsay to the dogs instead XD That Vilgax deserves to die. But I have the feeling you have big plans for him later down the line, so I'm curious to see how this will play out._

 _About the set of batons, reminds me a little of Daredevil, sounds cool. About Ben being obsessed with hero work, I'm sure that's not going to end well. I remember one of my fics (One More Light) that Ben was obsessed with revenge, and started neglecting family and friends. I think that is going to happen to Ben here too (except he is not trying to get revenge on anyone) Nice job._

Thanks, csgt. Honestly, with the whole Sansa Stark and Ramsay Bolton, I don't know what you're referring to. But you are right, that Vilgax does deserve to die. The batons are supposed to remind you of Daredevil. It won't end well. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 90): And another great chapter congrats Thanks for everything that you explained I'll be witing for next BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. And thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben decides to tell his mother about his mental problems. Ben and Albedo are at odds. Gwen works up the courage to talk to Ben.


	17. Chapter 92: The Heart's Desire: Part 4

Chapter 92: The Heart's Desire: Part Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Two!

* Nothing to say here, so let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

 _The Next Morning_

I woke up the next morning after getting probably no less than three hours of sleep the previous night. I let out a tired sigh as I sat up alone in the empty bed. I allowed my hand to rest on the right side of the bed, which where Gwen would have slept. My eyes stung with tears as I stared longingly at the empty space. I finally let out a sigh, as I withdrew my hand and stood up from the bed.

I didn't even bother to get dressed. I hadn't changed into pajamas when I came in last night. I just slept in my day clothes. I walked to the door and opened it. I stepped out into the hall and walked into the living room, where I saw Mom and Dad sitting on the couch.

"Good morning." I said.

"Good morning." Mom said, while Dad nodded.

"Um, I think I need to have a talk with you guys." I said.

They both looked up at me.

"Yes, Ben, we do need to have a talk." She said. "Have a seat, Let's talk. No yelling, just friendly talking."

I nodded and went to sit down on the single person chair across from them. I looked at them as we sat in silence for a while, before Mom spoke.

"So, you first Ben." She said. "What did you want to talk about?"

I looked down and began to tear up.

"Ben?" Mom asked with concern. "What is it?"

I looked up at them as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I think I'm losing my sanity!" I said as I put my hands over my eyes.

"What?!" Dad asked almost immediately after.

"What makes you say that?" Mom asked with concern.

"I've… I've… I've…" I spoke, stuttering as I did so. "I've been seeing Kevin lately!"

"You've been "seeing Kevin" lately?" Dad asked. "What do you mean?"

I looked back down at my feet.

"Ben?" Mom asked, with much more concern.

"He began appearing to me, encouraging me to continue being Alien Guy." I said. "I think he wanted me not to feel guilty about his death. I think he wanted me to know that it wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't your fault?" Dad asked.

I looked back up at them.

"It was my fault that Kevin died. He was an energy sponge just like his dad." I said. "He absorbed the Omnitrix's energy earlier in the summer. And later we discovered that his constant transforming without the Omnitrix was killing him. He would transform for the final time later in the summer during a big fight in the city. He died because of me. His death was my fault."

No one said a word. They both just stared at me with shock. I looked back down as the tears continued to come.

"Ben…" was all that Mom could muster.

"And, I had a full conversation with him yesterday. While I was out in the city, he appeared to me and he began talking to me." I said. "We talked about my breakup with Gwen and once we were done talking, I asked him if it had been real. And he told me that it was all fake; I had imagined the whole thing. I know that I had just imagined the whole thing, I know that I was just talking to myself."

Still no answer from either of them. I let out a sigh as I looked back down at the floor.

"I get it. You think that I'm crazy." I said. "I understand. Why wouldn't you?"

After several more seconds, Mom finally spoke.

"You're not crazy." She said.

I looked up at her.

"How could you say that?! I've been seeing and hearing the voice of my dead best friend!" I said, as my voice picked up into a yell. "I'm going crazy! I don't want to lose my mind!"

"Calm down, son." Dad said in a calm, soothing tone.

I sat in silence for what seemed like hours.

"You don't get to say that to me." I said. "I know what I am. I know that I'm going crazy."

"You are _not_ crazy." Mom said.

"Then what would you call it?!" I exclaimed with anger as the tears flowed down my cheeks.

"Benjamin, you need to calm down!" Dad urged me.

"You are _not_ crazy." Mom reassured me. "It's completely normal for you to be hearing voices."

"It's "completely normal"?" I asked in an agitated tone.

Dad shot me an angry look, so I decided to calm down a little more and let Mom explain.

"You've been through trauma, Ben. You lost your best friend." She said. "It's completely reasonable and normal for you to be hearing his voice. It will fade with time, but it is normal for you to hear his voice for a while at least."

I stood up from the chair I was sitting in.

"Really?" I asked. "You think it's normal? What does that mean?!"

"Ben, please…" Dad said in a calm tone, only for me to interrupt.

"You know what? No!" I said. "I'm sorry I even told you guys! You think it's normal for me to be hearing voices?!"

"Ben, just calm down." Mom said. "What is it that you want?"

"I want to feel like I'm not losing my mind twenty four hours a day!" I exclaimed with anger.

"Calm down." She said. "So, we'll get you into therapy. Is that better?"

"As long as it makes me feel like I'm normal." I said.

"You are normal." Dad said. "We promise."

"How is hearing voices normal?!" I exclaimed.

"Calm down." He said again.

"Okay, I'm sorry I even asked you about this." I said. "I'm going back to my room."

I moved to go back to my room but was stopped in my tracks.

"You sit back down, young man." Mom said. "This conversation isn't over."

I sighed, but nonetheless, I sat back down.

"We're going to get you into seeing a therapist." Mom said. "Maybe that can help you overcome this."

I stayed silent.

"And as I said yesterday, you are forbidden from being Alien Guy and going out to fight crime any further." Mom said. "I have taken your costume as well as those batons of yours and I have hidden it in a place that you will never find it. Now all I need from you is to hand over the Omnitrix."

I remained in silence for several seconds after she said that. At last, I spoke.

"I'm not giving up the Omnitrix." I said.

"Excuse me?" she asked. "I don't think I was being quite clear. You're not going to fight crime anymore, so hand it over!"

I said nothing.

"Ben, you don't get to…" Mom began speaking, but I interrupted.

"No, you don't get to take the Omnitrix from me! You don't understand, there are several villains that I've faced that know who I am!" I said. "Like the Infinity Killer. His real name is Clancy and he knows who I am. Last summer, before Gwen and I got together, we came across him in a park. And he tried to assault Gwen."

There was once again a look of shock on their faces. They said nothing, so I continued with my story. I looked down at the floor.

"Clancy tried to assault Gwen in the park. And so, I defended her. I beat the shit out of him and I enjoyed it. That's what scares me." I said. "I promised that if he ever came near her again, next time I wouldn't stop. Don't you see? That's why he killed two of my friends. He hates me. And he wants to kill me for what I did to him. But first, he wanted to kill my friends and my family to break me. Then he would have killed me, and Gwen after that."

They still didn't say anything. I sighed as I looked up, but not at them.

"Just the fact alone that I thought I could quit was horrible of me." I said. "And what happened? Two of my friends died. And I could have done something about it. Point is, that there are still people like that out there. The city isn't as safe as it once was. I may have to defend myself or as a last resort, I may have to transform to prevent one of my former villains from killing one of you."

Still they didn't say anything.

"I go everyday thinking that if I could go back in time and cause myself not to quit, would I be able to do it?" I asked. "Would any of this have happened?"

Finally, Dad spoke.

"It's not good to live in the past, Ben." He said.

"I'm sorry, Ben. Truly. But given that, even so, I still need you to hand over the Omnitrix." She said. "So, let's have it."

"No." I said in firm tone.

"Ben." She said, an angry look coming onto her face. "What did I say?"

" _I_ said "no", Mom." I replied. "Listen, I swear to never fight crime again. But I'm keeping the Omnitrix. This city isn't safe and if I have to defend myself, it'd be nice to have a last resort option."

Mom just looked at me intently liked she had last night. Eventually, she sighed.

"Fine." She said.

"Thank you." I said.

"But know this, Benjamin Tennyson." She said. "If I ever find out that you activate that thing for any reason, it's as good as gone!"

"Even if it's an emergency?" I asked.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Don't test me, Ben." She said. "You may go. Unless your father has anything to say."

He didn't say anything, so I got up from the couch.

"I'm going to go downstairs and ask Albedo if he wants to play video games." I said as I walked through the kitchen and towards the basement stairs.

I walked down the stairs and into the basement, to see Albedo sitting on the couch all by himself. I walked over to the couch as I did, he looked up at me.

"Hey, man." I said. "Do you want to play some video games?"

He looked back at me with an expressionless face.

"No, man." He said. "I'm done with you."

My smile melted from my face, as I felt my heart drop in my chest.

 _Done with me?_ I thought. _What does that mean?_

"Albedo?" I asked.

He didn't say anything.

"Albedo look, I know you're mad at me about Gwen!" I said. "I am, too! But…"

I spoke as he interrupted me.

"No bro, I'm not mad at you." He said as he got up from the couch. "I'm just done with you."

"What do you mean?" I asked in a panicked tone.

Albedo chuckled a little before he spoke.

"What can I say Ben? You're fucking stupid, that's what you are!" he said. "You took the one good thing you had going for you in your life and you ruined it! You are a fucking dumbass!"

He walked past me and towards the stairs. I turned around and watched him go.

"Oh, come on, Albedo!" I exclaimed.

He didn't respond to me. I let out a sigh as he kept walking up the stairs, leaving me alone in the basement. I hung my head in sadness, uncertain of what I was going to do.

 _A Few Hours Later_

I laid on my bed, not really trying to sleep, I just didn't have anything to do. I heard a knock at the front door, but I didn't give it any thought. Less than a minute later, Mom walked into the room.

"There's someone here for you." She said.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Come see for yourself." She said as she left the room.

I sighed and got off the bed. I walked back out into the living room and towards the front door. I opened the door, to see Gwen standing out on the stoop.

"Gwen!" I exclaimed with surprise.

She had a small smile on her face and there was a light pink blush on her cheeks.

"Hey." Was all she said, the blush remaining on her cheeks.

"What uh, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk to you." She said.

"I'll leave you two to it." Mom said as she lightly pushed me outside onto the stoop and then shutting the door behind me.

I looked back and then back at Gwen, blushing with embarrassment. There was an awkward silence between us. She put her hands on her hips.

"What is with you? Why haven't you been answering your phone?" she asked. "I've been calling you all day!"

I almost gasped with surprise.

 _She'd been calling me all day?_ I thought to myself.

"What?" I finally asked.

"I've been calling you all day!" she said. "Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"Oh, heh, heh." I said, chuckling as I scratched the back of my neck.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to show her the shattered screen.

"I kinda, you know, broke it." I said.

Gwen smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What did you do, Doofus?" she asked.

"I kinda threw it at the wall yesterday." I said.

"Why?" she asked.

I sighed.

"I was trying to decide to call you after I listened to your voicemail." I said. "But eventually, I decided against it, because I thought you'd just send me to voicemail. And so, I tossed my phone at the wall out of anger."

She looked at me.

"Why would you do that?" she asked. "And I was up all night that night, Ben. If you had just called me, I would have picked up."

"Would you?" I asked as a glum look replaced my awkward smile. "I wouldn't want to talk to you either after the breakup."

I turned my head away from her as she began to speak.

"But I do want to talk to you." she said.

I didn't turn to look at her.

"Why would you want to talk to me, Gwen?" I asked.

"Because, I don't this to be the end of our friendship, Ben." She said.

I didn't say anything.

"Will you just look at me?!" she exclaimed as she put her hand on my cheek, forcing me to face her.

"Fine!" I said. "What is it that you want?"

"I want to go out to lunch with you." She said.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"You heard me." Gwen said.

"Why would you want to take me out to lunch?" I asked.

"Because if we don't keep seeing each other and doing activities together, we'll only drift farther apart." She said.

"If you don't want to drift apart, then why did you dump me?" I asked.

"Because, you weren't paying enough attention to me!" she said. "All you cared about was Alien Guy, Alien Guy! Oh, look at me! I'm Alien Guy! I care more about fighting crime than I do spending time with my girlfriend!"

I sighed and looked down. Her comment didn't even faze me in the slightest. Was that weird?

"Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore." I said. "I quit again."

"What?!" she exclaimed. "After all the stuff that happened, you quit again? Why?!"

"Gwen, please…" I said, trying to reason with her, only to be interrupted.

"What are you thinking?!" she exclaimed.

"Gwen, please stop it. I told my parents that I was Alien Guy yesterday morning." I said. "And Mom is forbidding me from fighting crime any further."

Gwen just stared at me in shock.

"What?" she asked.

"It's over." I said in a hushed voice as I looked down. "There won't be anymore superhero fighting, my own brother hates me and so does Sunny, still. My life couldn't get any better."

"Albedo hates you?" she asked. "What did you do?"

"It doesn't matter." I said.

Gwen went silent for a minute.

"What about Alien Guy?" she asked. "And Lucky Girl?"

I scoffed.

"Gwen, it's over. I already said that. Alien Guy and Lucky Girl are just masks." I said. "They're just illusions. They were never real."

 _Isn't that contradicting what you said last night?_ The Omnitrix's voice rang in my head.

"Shut up." I said to myself.

"Excuse me?" Gwen asked, sounding offended.

"I wasn't talking to you." I said.

"You were talking to the Omnitrix?" she asked.

I nodded.

"What did it say?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter." I replied.

Gwen went silent again.

"What will you do?" she finally asked.

"I'm going to go about living my normal life." I said. "And I will never fight crime again, just like my Mom wants."

"But, you can't…"

"Yes, I can." I said, interrupting her. "And you don't go against what my Mom says."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Gwen said. "Will you at least still go to lunch with me?"

I nodded. A smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks, Ben." She said with the smile still on her face.

"No problem." I said to her.

Once again, there was silence between us after that, again. I looked back down at the ground, not feeling like talking anymore.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then." Gwen said at last.

I looked up at her.

"What?" I asked.

"We'll go out to lunch tomorrow." She said as she looked back at me. "I can't go today. So, tomorrow I'll come get you and we'll go to Mr. Smoothies."

I smiled.

"O-Okay." I said, stuttering a little.

I was giddy at the prospect of going out with Gwen again. But then I realized that we weren't dating anymore, and the smile melted from my face. Gwen noticed the smile disappear from my face and her smile disappeared as well.

"Ben?" she asked with concern. "What's wrong?"

I just stood there for a few seconds, before I spoke.

"Nothing." I said at last as I smiled again. "I'm looking forward to it!"

She smiled once again as well.

"Well, okay then!" she said. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

She turned around and walked back towards her car.

"Okay, bye!" I exclaimed as I waved at her.

Once she pulled out of the driveway and drove down the street out of sight, my smile disappeared, and I stared down at the concrete.

"Oh, this can't end well, can it?" I asked myself.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* I can't really say much on what to expect next chapter, but it'll be a good chapter, I promise that. So, anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 91): And another great chapter congrats Oohhohohooo the next chapter promises to be interesting, I can not wait BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I hope this chapter was interesting. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Guest Review (Chapter 91): We… are Alien Guy._

Um, yes, we are? I'm confused. But nonetheless, thanks for the review, as always.

 _Screamindivr145 (Chapter 10): Ok, dude, the way you write Ben makes him sound really creepy. He's angry at Gwen for not returning his feelings? She's his cousin and they've been hanging out for a few days. I'm totally down for the pairing, but damn, he sounds like the stereotype of one of those dudes who think they're a nice guy and can't get a girl because they only like bad boys._

Okay, I want to apologize for never getting to your review. I understand that Ben seems creepy. But it's the Omnitrix that's making him think like that. It tampers with his emotions. It's the reason he began having romantic thoughts for Gwen in the first place. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Sishen123 (Chapter 91): Wow didn't see this arc coming talk about way out in left field. Fist Gwen practically demands him to be alien guy and now she's pissed because he is doing what she wanted him to do. Of course I get the Julie thing a little but if Gwen hadn't broken up with Ben it would have just been repressed sexual tension I see Ben and Julie becoming better friends after this._

 _It's like Hayley said on American Dad; they just need to fuck and get it out of their systems. But hey one question, where the hell did Gwen go I really doubt she is going to her parents house but then again I don't think her mom would turn her away if she found out that Gwen dumped ben. I still think Ben is going to get that ego knocked down to ground level. Anyway that's all I have to say so peace out :)_

Thanks, Sishen. She's pissed because he's being Alien Guy _all the time_. I can't say I agree with you about the whole sexual tension thing. Ah, American Dad. I used to like that show. Yes, she went back to her parents. And that will be explained in a chapter later down the line. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben tries to mend his relationship with Albedo. Ben and Gwen go out to lunch to try to patch things up in their friendship.


	18. Chapter 93: The Heart's Desire: Part 5

Chapter 93: The Heart's Desire: Part Five

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Three!

* I have nothing to say here, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

 _The Next Day_

Sunny and I were sitting on the basement couch, watching T.V., because Mom insisted that we needed to try to get along better. So, there we were watching T.V. and making small talk. Dad had asked Albedo to go rake the leaves in the backyard, but I'm pretty sure that Mom asked him to ask Albedo to do that. I think it was all part of a plan to get me and Sunny to bond a little bit.

"So, how are you doing?" Sunny asked.

I resisted the urge not to answer.

"I'll be alright." I said after heaving a sigh. "I'll get through this."

Sunny was silent on the couch next to me.

"Look, I know we butt heads a lot, but I really am sorry about what happened." She said. "I know you guys cared a lot about each other."

"You know, you're the only person so far to not be mad at me for "not paying enough attention to her"." I said.

Sunny shrugged.

"What do you expect me to say?" she asked. "You thought what you were doing was the best thing to do. No one should blame you."

"Thanks." I said.

"No problem." She said.

Just then, Sunny's phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and looked at the caller ID.

"Hold on," she said. "I have to take this."

"Sure." I said as I continued looking at the T.V.

"Hello? Why are you calling me on my phone?" she asked as she answered. "Why don't you just come inside to talk to me?"

"There's a lot more leaves out here than I thought." I heard Albedo say on the other end. "Could you get the other rake and come out here and help me?"

"Is that Albedo?" I asked Sunny.

She nodded while she remained on the phone.

"Albedo, why didn't you just come inside to ask for help?" she asked.

"Is Ben down there with you?" he asked on the other end.

"Yes." Sunny replied.

"Then I'm not coming inside!" he said.

"Jesus, Albedo." She said. "I know that you're mad at Ben, but don't you think this is taking it a little too far?"

"I'm not mad at him." I heard him say from the other line. "I just think he's stupid for messing up the one perfect thing he had going for him in his life."

"And I think that _you're_ stupid for thinking _that_." Sunny replied.

"Whatever." Albedo said. "Are you going to come out here and help me, or not?"

"Not with that attitude of yours I'm not!" Sunny said.

"I'll go out there and help him." I offered.

There was silence now.

"Can you put him on?" Albedo asked from the other line.

"Yeah." She said, before handing me the phone. "Good luck."

"Thanks." I said as I put the phone to my ear. "Uh, hey man."

"Don't come out here!" Albedo said on the other end.

My jaw dropped with surprise in response to what he said.

"Look man, I know that you're mad at me." I said. "But all I want to do is help you outside and try to make things right with you! So, why won't you let me?"

"I already told you, I'm not mad. I get it, I accept your apology." He said. "Don't come out here!"

"Well, Sunny isn't going to come out and help either. So, what are going to… hello?" I realized that he had hung up on me.

I handed Sunny her phone back and sighed with frustration.

"He hang up on you?" she asked.

"Yep." I said.

We sat there in silence for a while. Eventually, I broke the silence.

"Hey." I said.

"Yeah?" she asked as she turned to face me.

"Thanks for, you know, standing up for me." I said as a light blush appeared on my cheeks.

She had a surprised look on her face, before smirking a few seconds later.

"Oh, come on! You don't have to thank me!" she said. "Besides, you'd do the same for me. Right?"

"I want to say that I might." I said.

"And I wouldn't expect anything less." She said as she looked back at the T.V.

Eventually, I gazed down at the Omnitrix, which was in human wrist watch form and saw the time. I sighed as I got up off the couch.

"Well, I have to go get ready for my date with Gwen." I said as I stretched.

Sunny shot me a smirk.

"Your "date"?" she asked, the smirk still on her face.

My face flushed.

"I mean, my lunch with Gwen!" I exclaimed in a nervous tone.

She chuckled.

"Just go." She said. "I'll catch you later."

I got the urge to make a funny remark, so I took it.

"Cash me outside, how 'bout dat?" I asked.

She turned to look at me.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that." She said.

I just chuckled as I walked off, scratching the back of my neck as I went.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Mr. Smoothie's Diner_

"So?" Gwen asked.

I looked up at her, coming out of my habit of daydreaming.

"What?" I asked. "So, what?"

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"I asked you how you've been." She said. "So, how've you been?"

"I've been pretty good." I answered almost immediately. "How about you?"

"Good," she said. "I've been good, too."

There was silence between us now. Eventually, Gwen spoke.

"Okay, I know that you're lying to me, Ben." She said. "So, tell me the truth. How have you really been?"

My smile disappeared, and I sadly looked down at the table.

"No, I haven't been good at all." I said. "I've been miserable the last few days. I miss you so much, Gwen."

She looked down as well for a few seconds. She finally let out a sigh before looking up at me.

"I've missed you too, Ben." She said at last.

I looked up at her.

"Then why don't we get back together?" I asked. "I can't be Alien Guy anymore, so I'll have all of my attention on you!"

She blushed bright pink. A waitress came around with our order of food. She placed the tray down and left.

"Because," Gwen spoke again, as she twirled a strand of her fiery red hair around her index finger. "I want some time to try to patch things up with my Mom. You know I basically haven't seen her since the reveal came out?"

"Oh, right." I said.

"Besides, maybe we aren't meant for each other." She said.

"What?" I asked with surprise as I looked back up at her.

"Sorry, Ben. But maybe this is a sign that you were meant to be Alien Guy twenty four seven." She said.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Gwen, you don't know what you're saying." I said.

"Maybe I do. Look, if we can get back together, then that's great." She said. "But as of right now, we're not together and we may not get back together. Maybe you just enjoy fighting crime more than you do spending time with a girlfriend."

I looked back down at the table, tears threatening to come.

"Ben?" Gwen asked with worry. "What is it?"

I sighed.

"I've been seeing Kevin." I said.

"Seeing Kevin?" she asked. "What do you mean?"

"I've been seeing him when no one else can." I said. "I've had an entire conversation with him, even when I know that he's not real and that I'm just talking to myself."

Gwen didn't say anything.

"I-I-I think I'm losing my sanity." I whispered loud enough for her to hear.

There was still silence between us.

"I imagined myself having a conversation with him yesterday." I said as I trembled. "I imagined that we were talking about our breakup."

"I think that you'll be fine." She said at last.

I shook my head.

"No." I said. "I know that Mom said it was normal, but I feel like I'm losing my mind here."

Gwen didn't say anything.

"And there's something else, too." I said at last.

"What is it?" she asked as she looked up.

I looked up at her.

"The other day, I did something terrible. I went over to Julie's for comfort." I said. "And, I slept with her."

She just stared at me.

"Okay." She said in the calmest tone possible.

I stared back at her in disbelief.

"Gwen, I did more than sleep with her." I said.

"Okay." She said again.

"Gwen, it made me feel like shit! I was thinking of you the whole time!" I said. "I feel like I cheated on you!"

"But you didn't." she said.

 _God damn it,_ I thought. _That's exactly what Julie said!_

"That's exactly what she said." I whispered.

"Well, it's the truth!" Gwen said. "In fact, I'm kind of happy for you!"

I looked up at her with shock.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"You're trying to get over me and you're seeking companionship with other people!" she said. "I'm proud of you, Ben!"

My face flushed, and it felt like my face was on fire.

"But I don't want to get over you, Gwen." I said. "I want to get back together with you!"

"I know you do." She said. "Believe me, I want more than anything just to get back together with you. But I'm just not sure if it's a good idea. It feels like it's too soon."

"Gwen, I don't understand." I said.

"Maybe one day, Ben." She said. "But for now, I think we should just stay friends."

I couldn't wrap my head around what she was saying. I looked down as my eyes stung with tears threatening to come. I looked back up at her and began to speak.

"But I want to, I mean I…" I began choking up with my words. "Can't we just…"

I gave up trying to speak and looked back down. My forehead was starting to bead up with sweat. All of a sudden, I just didn't want to be here anymore. I had to get out of here.

"I'm sorry Gwen, I just can't do this right now!" I exclaimed as I rushed to get out of the booth, earning a look of shock from her. "I have to go!"

I turned around and ran out of the restaurant without looking back.

 _Gwen_

I watched him go. Once he was out of my sight, I sighed and looked down at the booth table.

 _God damn it, Ben._ I thought. _You're better than this. You can do this!_

I no longer had an appetite. I pushed my plate of food away from me as I began to think.

 _You wanted to get back together with him just as much as he did!_ I thought. _So, why didn't you just say it? You're the real idiot here, Gwendolyn!_

I let out another sigh. I didn't know how, but I was going to make this up to Ben.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _csgt (Chapter 89): Ouch, the break up. I knew it was coming, but it was still painful. Yes, Ben getting obsessive with crime fighting isn't going to do much to him. He needs balance. Be Alien Guy but not let it consume him. Ricochet, one of Spider-Man alternate identities, interesting. Did you watch the live-action Titans show? For some reason, Ben reminded me of their Robin in this chapter._

Thanks, csgt. I know that it was a tough one, but it was a fun concept to write. No, I did not watch Titans and I probably won't. Something about the trailer left a sour taste in my mouth and after the theories circulated of Season Six of the original show was going happen (and then it didn't), I just kind of lost any interest that I had in Titans. But I can see why you compare Ben to their Robin. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 90): Wow, so many things happening! The reveal to the parents was great, I can see Ben being so confused, numb and hopeless that he'd just confess everything to his parents. I like the dramatic effect of it, it was the perfect way to show how much of a toll the break up is taking on Ben._

 _Yes, they definitely had to know there was something wrong. I mean, they have two clones running around the house. And Carl and Sandra were agents of SECT. Thinking about it now, I wouldn't be surprised if they already knew everything, but Sandra's shock indicates they didn't. Ok, I know I've been saying this a lot, but I can still see some hints of something between Ben and Sunny._

 _I mean, if I had to choose between a guy and a hot girl to bite me, I'd definitely pick the girl too XD And the pineapples scent sounded kind of crush-y to me. Oh, Ben and Julie hooking up! I always got the feeling that Julie had a big crush on Ben, and I think I was right. I wonder how Gwen will react once she finds out (if she finds out) Great job._

Thanks, csgt. I'm glad you like how the Alien Guy secret came out to Ben's parents. This chapter was fun to write. They had no idea that Ben was Alien Guy or anything beforehand, whole Sunny thing was just him teasing her. And I came up with the pineapples thing on the spot, that was a last minute addition. No, Ben and Julie are _not_ hooking up. You should have seen what I mean in the chapter after. And you saw how Gwen reacted here. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben finally finds closure over Kevin's death.


	19. Chapter 94: The Heart's Desire: Part 6

Chapter 94: The Heart's Desire: Part Six

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Four! We are getting so close to Chapter One Hundred and it's going to be a big one, I promise you that!

* Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I don't have anything else to say here, so let's get right down into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

 _The Next Day_

I woke up the next morning, once again living a miserable existence. I let out a sigh as I sat up. All I wanted to do was lie back down and cry myself to sleep, but I couldn't. So, against my other wishes, I got up off the bed and moved to the closed bedroom door. I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

I walked out into the living room, to see that it was empty. Just as I thought it would be. It was too early in the morning for someone to be out in the living room. I walked over to the living room couch and plopped myself down and reached for the T.V. remote. I turned on the T.V. and flipped through the channels, until I found the weather channel.

After five or ten minutes of watching, I received the news that there was still no set date for when school would start back up. I gave up and turned off the T.V.

 _Several Hours Later_

I walked out of the bedroom and out into the living room with my jacket on. I stopped in front of the couch, where Mom was watching T.V.

"Where's Dad?" I asked.

"He had to go back to work." She said. "What about you? Where do you think you're headed?"

"I'm going to go up to the Bellwood Post's building. I need to know if Gwen's there." I said. "I really need to talk to her after what happened yesterday."

Mom nodded.

"I understand." She said. "Go ahead and go."

I left the house and walked out to my car. I got in, started the car and drove off.

 _One Hour Later_

 _The Bellwood Post, Downtown Bellwood_

To make a long story short, she wasn't at the Post. When I asked the front desk where I could find her, they informed me that she hadn't been in since Alien Guy returned. So, now, sick of searching through the building, even though I knew that she wasn't here, I went to the roof for some fresh air.

Up there, I sat with my back leaned up against the wall next to the door to the stairwell. I sat there, trying to think about what I should try to do next. That's when I heard the voice once again.

"Why are you sitting up here all by yourself?" he asked.

I looked up, to see Kevin standing by the edge of the rooftop, smiling down at me.

"Hey, Kevin." I said as I smiled back at him. "Long time, no see."

"Long time, no see yourself!" he said, chuckling as he approached me. "You never come see me anymore!"

My smile faded.

"I never know where to find you anymore, Kevin." I said.

"Bullshit you don't know where to find me!" he said. "I'm always with you! All you need to do is just say my name and "Bam!". I'm here."

"Yeah, I guess." I said.

"So, why are you sitting up here?" he asked as he came over to sit down next to me. "What's got you so bummed out?"

I sighed.

"Remember how I told you that Gwen and I broke up?" I asked as I turned to look at him.

He nodded patiently. I looked away from him as I began to speak again.

"Well, I went to go see her yesterday." I said. "We went out to lunch."

"And?" Kevin asked. "How'd it go?"

"It went alright, I guess." I said. "But I don't think she wants to get back together."

"And why do you think that?" he asked.

"Because," I said. "She said that she thinks we may find out that we weren't meant for each other after all."

"Ouch." Kevin said.

"I know, right?" I asked. "Sucks to be me."

"You'll get over her." He said.

I sighed.

"I think that's exactly what she wants me to do." I said in a sad tone.

"What makes you say that?" Kevin asked.

"Kevin, there's this girl, Julie. She helped patch me up the first time I was shot by Sixsix and the remaining times I got injured after that, I went to her for help." I said. "And so, after Gwen dumped me, I went to her for comfort."

"What happened?" he asked.

"She took me out to dinner." I said. "And after that, we went back to her apartment for the night."

"Did anything happen that night?" Kevin asked.

I nodded.

"What happened?" he asked.

I didn't want to speak. I just sat there, continuing to stare at the floor of the rooftop.

"Ben?" he asked with concern.

I looked up at him with a look of guilt in my eyes.

"We kissed. And after that, we fucked." I said as tears streamed down my cheeks.

I looked back down at the floor of the roof.

"God damn it, I feel like I've cheated on Gwen!" I said as I rubbed my eyes.

"Damn. That's bad stuff man." Kevin said. "Do you realize that you didn't cheat on Gwen?"

"How could I not?" I asked with anger.

"Hey, calm down." He said. "Let's just have a calm discussion, you and me."

I nodded.

"Okay." I said. "I can calm down. I can be calm."

"Good." Kevin said. "Now, what makes you think that you cheated on Gwen?"

"Because I was thinking that it was her, I was having sex with during the whole act." I said. "And because I still love her."

"There's nothing wrong with still loving her." He said. "What does Julie think?"

"We both agreed that it was a stupid accident." I said. "It meant nothing to us."

"Well that's good." Kevin said. "That should make it easy for you guys to go back to just being friends."

"And I told her that one of our other friends may be interested in dating her." I said. "And she seems to have feelings for him, too."

"Well, that's great!" Kevin said. "You're making yourself unavailable to her!"

I gave him a look of anger.

"I'm not interested in her, Kevin!" I exclaimed. "I want to win my ex back over!"

"Yeah, I know champ!" he said. "Don't you worry, I know."

"So, how do I do it?" I asked as I looked back down at the floor of the rooftop.

"How do you do what?" Kevin asked.

"How do I get Gwen back?" I asked.

"I can't help you there, pal." He said. "I guess you'll have to figure that out on your own."

I rolled my eyes.

"Gee, thanks." I said.

"Sure, no problem buddy." He said.

I sighed as I continued staring at the floor for a few minutes or so. Eventually, I finally spoke up again.

"Kevin, we need to stop doing this." I said. "Or rather, _I_ need to stop doing this."

"You need to stop doing what?" Kevin asked.

"I need to stop imagining myself talking to you. I need to face the truth." I said. "And the truth is: You're dead. You're not here right now. I'm just imagining you."

I looked up at Kevin, to see that he was transparent now. I looked back down.

"Kevin, I have enjoyed these talks with you, but they are nothing like the ones we had when you were still alive." I said. "Besides, I get it now. It wasn't my fault that you died. You were just too damn loyal and too proud of yourself to follow my orders. But even still, you were a great friend, Kevin. Thank you."

I looked back up, to see that Kevin was no longer there. I let out a sigh of sadness. I looked back down at the floor as tears threatened to come, but I didn't let them.

"I'm sorry, Kevin." I said.

I didn't get an answer this time.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed! Did you guys like how Ben finally found closure over Kevin's death?

* So, I'm most likely going to post the rest of this arc today. I'm not going to be able to post for a while and I want there to be some reading material for you guys until I get back to posting (even if it takes a few weeks). So, today, you'll be getting three chapters I believe.

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Reponses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 93): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 91): First of all, this review is NOT a criticism ok? Speaking for myself, I made a few controversial decisions on my fanfic in the past, some readers quit, some readers complained, and I ended up deleting the whole story and restarting it – more than once XD – so the last thing I want is to make you go through what I went through._

 _Keep that in mind, ok? I'm just commenting, not judging. I don't think Julie took advantage of Ben at all. She always had the hots for Ben, and Ben clearly wanted to 'frak' her bad that night. I think Ben just wanted to have sex, while Julie wanted a relationship, but she wasn't naive, she knew that Gwen is the girl he loves but she still went for the one-night-stand anyway._

 _(If she is taking advantage of anyone, that would be Cooper, if she dates him later. He's kind of her second choice)_

Hey, you don't have to explain yourself. I get it. Honestly, even if I wanted to redo some stuff, I can't hit the "reboot button", especially now. It was mostly Ben's hormones, I guess. I don't think I can say anything else about this. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 92): (I'm posting the rest of the review here, because I couldn't post it entirely on the previous chapter) And Ben… well, he knew Cooper liked Julie, he knew Julie couldn't make him forget Gwen and he never had plans for a real relationship with Julie and… he still had sex with Julie._

 _And after he already had his fun, he told Julie she should give Cooper a chance. That was brutal and savage! XD I wonder how Cooper and Gwen will react to this once they know. They might be cool with it, since they weren't dating Julie and Ben at the moment, or they might feel hurt. Or they might not even find out. I'm looking forward to more!_

Thanks, csgt. It's alright, I knew you couldn't fit the full review. Ben went to her for comfort, but yeah, you could still argue that Ben allowed what happened to happen. "After he already had his fun", hmm. I wouldn't say it was fun for either of them, lol. I'm not sure how it will play out, concerning Cooper, at least. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 93): This review covers this chapter and the previous one. Maybe Ben's mother got the right idea and therapy is what Ben needs to get closure from Kevin's death I'm glad Gwen wants to keep being friends with Ben._

 _Albedo is being a jerk, I think he remembers that he used to like Gwen before, and he thinks he'd never let her go if he were in Ben's position. At least Sunny is being cool with Ben. I wonder with all the hints (or at least the hints that I'm seeing XD) if during the time that Ben and Gwen are broken up, he might have something with Sunny too._

 _I'm also glad Gwen took well the fact that Ben slept with Julie. I was expecting for a bit of drama, but I'm glad it didn't happen. Nice to see that Gwen also wants to get together with Ben. Great story. Keep it up._

Thanks, csgt. Yeah, Albedo is being a jerk. You can keep theorizing all you want, but nothing's going to happen between Ben and Sunny. I just don't like the idea of them being a thing. I honestly didn't know how people would react with Gwen accepting of the thing that happened between Ben and Julie. But I didn't want to add drama between them in that regard. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Guest Review (Chapter 92): "We… are Alien Guy" "We… are Venom" (in relation to my previous review) "It's the reason he began having romantics thoughts for Gwen" Wait wot? That's creepy, and casts doubt on the pairing._

Oh, okay, I get that reference now. I still need to see that moving. Say what you want about the whole thing, but that's it. They were still very much in love while Ben didn't have the Omnitrix. But that's all I will say. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben tries to patch things up with Albedo. Ben and Gwen celebrate their individual birthdays, until Gwen arrives at his house. Ben's mother faces a dilemma.


	20. Chapter 95: The Heart's Desire: Part 7

Chapter 95: The Heart's Desire: Part Seven

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Five! This is the chapter where this entire arc will come around full circle. I promise that you aren't going to want to miss this one!

* So, for the chapters that I release today, there will be no review responses, as I won't have any to respond to.

* I won't give anything away here. So, that being said, let's get right down into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Ben's House_

 _Later That Day_

I had been back from the Bellwood Post's building for about a couple hours now. I was really itching to confront Albedo about our rocky relationship. He had been giving me death stares all day today and yesterday, and I was sick of it. I threw the book I had been reading across the room out of frustration.

I got up off the bed and walked out into the hallway. I walked past the living room and towards the basement stairs. I walked down the stairs and into the basement. I marched over to the basement couch, where Albedo was watching T.V. all by himself.

"Hey!" I said in an angry tone.

He didn't answer.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" I exclaimed.

He still didn't answer me.

"Albedo, God damn it, answer me!" I exclaimed.

"Alright, alright!" he exclaimed as he looked up at me. "What do you want anyway?"

"I want you to stop pretending that I don't exist!" I said. "And I want you to be my friend again!"

"No way, man!" he said as he got up from the couch. "You fucked up! You should have thought of that before Gwen dumped you!"

My temper flared as I heard him say that.

"You think that I don't know that?!" I exclaimed with anger. "I genuinely thought that what I was doing was for the best! How could I have known that trying to be Alien Guy all the time would lead to Gwen dumping me?!"

Albedo just scoffed.

"Yeah, sure." He said in a sarcastic tone.

That made me even angrier for reasons that I didn't know.

"Fuck you." I said.

"What did you just say?" he asked.

"You heard me." I said.

"I want to hear you say it." He said.

"Fuck you." I repeated myself. "Who are you to tell me all of this?"

"I'm the guy trying to make you see the error of your ways." Albedo said.

That sent me over the edge. I grabbed Albedo by the collar of his shirt and picked him up with virtually no difficulty. I walked him over to the wall and slammed his back into it.

"Ow, what the hell, man?!" he exclaimed.

"You have no idea what kind of shit I've been going through!" I exclaimed. "Here I am thinking I've lost my sanity and on top of that, I'm trying to figure out how I can win my ex-girlfriend back! So, don't tell me how _you_ think it is!"

I slammed him up against the wall once again.

"Alright, alright!" he exclaimed. "I'll quit ignoring you! Just put me down!"

"Wise choice." I said as I dropped him on his ass.

"Oh, come on!" he exclaimed as he rubbed his now likely sore ass.

I turned around and began to walk away from him.

"Ben?" Albedo asked with confusion.

I turned my head to look at him.

"Come let me know when you want to be friends again." I said.

I walked up the stairs and out of the basement without another word.

 _The Next Morning_

I don't know what kind of dream I was having or if I was even dreaming in the first place. But I do know that it was interrupted. I was woken up at about eight o'clock the next morning by the sound of singing in my room. Mom, Dad, Sunny and Albedo were standing in the room with the light flipped on, singing happy birthday to me.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Benjamin!" they all sang in unison. "Happy birthday to you!"

"Cha, cha, cha!" Albedo exclaimed as the singing came to a close.

 _Oh, right. It's my birthday. Therefore, it's Gwen's birthday, too,_ I thought. _I guess I was so mentally stressed and emotionally damaged that I forgot all about it._

"Wow." I said as I sat up in my bed. "This is different."

Albedo just chuckled along with Dad.

"Happy Birthday, son!" Mom said as she handed me a cupcake with green icing on it, as well as a single lit green candle in it. "I can't believe you're already eighteen!"

I took the cupcake from Mom as she handed it to me.

"Make a wish, Ben!" Dad said.

I blew out the candle without a second thought.

"What'd you wish for?" Sunny asked.

I looked up at them.

"I, uh, don't know." I said.

"Sure, you do!" Albedo said. "Now, what'd you wish for?"

I thought about it. I wanted to say that I just wanted to get back together with Gwen, but everyone knew that. But then, something popped into my head. I had favored a life without the Omnitrix before Clancy went on his killing spree. If I had never found the Omnitrix, none of this would ever have happened. Albedo, Sunny, my relationship with Gwen even. All of it wouldn't exist.

The only problem I had with it was that Gwen and I would never have gotten together, but other than that, I loved the idea.

 _I wish that I had never found the Omnitrix_ , I thought to myself.

I almost said it, but Dad beat me to it.

"Now, now, you two." He said. "Don't you know if you tell someone what you wished for, that wish will never come true?"

Dad had a point.

"Alright, alright." Albedo gave up. "We won't pry. Will we, Sunny?"

Sunny just stared off into space. Her gaze finally fell onto me.

"Many happy returns to you on this day, Ben." She said at last.

"Thanks." I said.

She nodded at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Happy Birthday, pal." Dad said as he beamed at me.

I smiled for the first time in a while.

"Thanks, Dad!" I said.

He nodded at me.

"Okay, everyone. Let's leave Ben alone for a while." Mom said. "Today's a big day. He's got lots to do before his birthday party this afternoon."

Everyone did as she said and soon enough, my room was empty again. I sighed as I got up to go use the shower.

 _Several Hours Later_

It was party time. Or so I was told. Besides Grandpa Max, Mom, Dad, Sunny and Albedo being here, the house felt silent and lifeless. Albedo and I sat next to each other on the couch in silence, as Sunny stood in front of us, trying to get us to speak.

"Come on, guys!" she said. "Let's play some Xbox or something! This house feels dead with all this silence!"

"Yeah," I said. "That's because it is."

"Ben, it's your birthday!" she said. "What do you want to do?"

I looked up at Sunny.

"I can ask for anything?" I said.

"Yes!" Sunny said.

"Then I wish to be left alone." I said as I looked back down.

"But, it's your birthday!" she said. "You should be doing something that you enjoy!"

"I am doing something that I enjoy right now." I said. "That is, _if_ you'd let me enjoy it."

"But you're not being fair to yourself!" Sunny said.

"I'm not being fair to myself? I'm doing exactly what I want to do." I said. "You're the one who's not being fair with me."

"Ben…" Sunny said, but I interrupted.

"Go away." I said.

She sighed and walked out of the room after that. And after that, I went back to thinking to myself in silence.

 _One Hour Later_

I had just blown out the candles on my cake when I heard the knock at the door.

"I'll get that." I said as I got up from the table.

I walked through the living room, to the front door and opened it, and was more or less surprised to see Gwen standing there.

"Gwen!" I exclaimed with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Gwen blushed bright pink.

"Hi, Ben." She said. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

"Oh, um, of course!" I said as I moved out of the way, so she could come in and get out of the cold.

Once she was inside and had closed the door behind her, she turned to look at me.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

Gwen blushed once again.

"Um, can we talk somewhere in private, perhaps?" she asked.

I nodded.

"We can go down to the basement." I said. "It's quiet down there."

"Lead the way." She said.

And so, I did. We walked into the kitchen, where everyone was giving us smiles, which caused me to blush. Nevertheless, we walked past them and into the basement. Once we were down in the basement, we stood a few feet apart from each other, with Gwen leaning against the couch and I standing across from her.

"So?" I asked.

She looked down at the floor for a few seconds before she met my eyes with hers.

"We need to talk about what you did the other day." She said. "It wasn't cool of you just to run out on me like that."

I sighed.

"Yeah, well you said a lot of hurtful things that day Gwen." I said. "And all of the guilt I felt from "not cheating on you" and all the stress I had around me caused me to buckle. I had to get out."

"You could have stayed." Gwen said. "I would have listened to your problems."

I didn't say anything in return. We just stood there in silence for a while. I finally worked up the guts to speak.

"Look, Gwen…" I started to speak, only to get interrupted.

"Don't." she said, without looking up at me.

"Don't what?" I asked with confusion.

"Don't say you're sorry. I'm sick of hearing you say it." She said, still not looking up at me. "You have nothing to be sorry for, so don't say it."

I looked down at the floor. Something wasn't right about the way Gwen was acting.

"Gwen, tell me something." I said. "You didn't come here to have this specific conversation, did you?"

Gwen looked up at me and then away from me.

"No." she said.

"Then why are you really here?" I asked.

She remained quiet.

"Gwen?" I asked.

She looked up at me and it looked like she were about to cry.

"Gwen, what is it?" I asked with concern.

She sniffled as the tears began to run down her cheeks.

"I am such a bitch!" she said.

"Ah!" I gasped with shock.

"I should never have broken up with you!" she said. "I should have supported you from the very beginning! All you were doing was what you thought was right!"

"Gwen?" I asked with confusion.

"I came here to ask you if you would take me back!" she said as the tears streamed down her cheeks. "But after I hurt you, I don't know why you would take me back!"

I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She buried her face into my chest and cried into it.

"I'm such a horrible person!" she exclaimed.

"You are not a horrible person." I reassured her. "I don't hold a grudge against you."

She removed her face from my chest and looked up at me.

"Ben, would you take me back? Even after all the things I've done to you?" she asked. "We both know that I can't live without you!"

I smiled at her.

"Gwen, you don't even have to ask!" I said.

She let out a gasp of relief upon hearing me say that.

"Please, Ben." She said. "Can we just go on and pretend that our breakup didn't happen?"

"I would love that." I said immediately.

She closed her eyes and then opened them once again and she stared up at me with a smile on her face, her eyes gleaming happily.

"Kiss me?" she asked.

"You don't even have to ask." I said to her with a smile on my face.

She smiled up at me, before I pulled her into a kiss, which she gladly accepted. As we kissed, I used my fingers to gently wipe away her tears. This is what I wanted for my birthday. Eventually, we both pulled away and just held each other.

"Oh, by the way, happy eighteenth birthday, Gwen." I said.

She chuckled.

"You too, Ben." She said.

"Did you get what you wanted for your birthday?" I asked.

"Yeah," Gwen said. "I think I did."

"Me, too." I said as I rubbed her back. "Me, too."

 _Five Minutes Later_

Gwen and I both walked into the kitchen, holding hands. As soon as we entered, Albedo and Sunny immediately noticed that we were holding hands. Albedo shot up out of his chair.

"You guys are holding hands?!" he exclaimed. "Did you get back together?! Please tell me you guys got back together!"

I chuckled at his response to seeing us together.

"You can rest assured that we're back together, Albedo." I said as Gwen squeezed my hand with hers. "We decided to give our relationship another try."

"Oh, awesome!" Sunny said as her eyes lit up. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

I chuckled once more.

"Coming from you, that means a lot, Sunny." I said. "Thanks."

Mom turned to look at us.

"Well, that's good news!" she said. "It's time to cut the cake! Everyone get ready!"

Gwen and I walked into the living room, still hand in hand, to sit down on the couch. We sat down on the couch and Gwen rested her head on my shoulder. I was back to happiness. And then it happened. There was the sound of glass shattering that came from the kitchen.

Everyone, Gwen and I included, rushed to get into the kitchen. It was a mess. The entire area around Mom's feet was caked with ruined chocolate cake and shards of glass. She turned around to face us, clutching her stomach as if she were in pain.

"Sandra?" Dad asked with notable fear in his voice. "Honey, what is it?"

Mom looked up at Dad.

"Carl, I think my water just broke!" she said. "I think the baby's coming!"

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope that you guys like the cliffhanger! I also hope you guys are glad that Ben and Gwen are back together.

* The next chapter will be the last chapter of this arc and it'll be a big one. I won't say anything else. Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

Next Chapter: Against his mother's wishes, Ben goes out into the city to fight crime. In all of the confusion, Ben's little sister is born.


	21. Chapter 96: The Heart's Desire: Part 8

Chapter 96: The Heart's Desire: Part Eight

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Six! This will be the final part of this arc and then we'll have two or three stand alone chapters before the next story arc. This will also be a shorter chapter, as there won't be a whole lot happening in this chapter.

* Anyway, that's all I will say. Let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

Gwen and I sat in the backseat of the car, as Dad drove down the street, while trying to keep Mom calm. Meanwhile, Gwen and I nervously exchanged words.

"So, what are you thinking?" she whispered to me.

I looked back at her.

"I'm thinking that this is some coincidence." I said. "You know, my little sister being born on our birthday."

She nodded.

"Yeah, it is interesting." She said. "You think your mom will be okay?"

I gave her a look of confusion.

"Of course, she will!" I said. "Mom's a strong person. If anyone can make through this, it's her!"

I smiled at her and she smiled back with envy.

"Damn your optimism, Ben." She said. "Where was that when I dumped you, when I needed it most?"

My smile disappeared after she said that.

"I thought we agreed to never mention that again?" I asked.

Her smile faded as well.

"Oh, right." She said as she looked away from me. "Sorry."

After that we rode in silence for the rest of the way to the hospital.

 _Ten Minutes Later_

 _Bellwood General Hospital_

We walked (although I would call it practically running) into the lobby of the hospital and got checked in. They then took Mom and Dad away, heading for the delivery room most likely. Once they were gone, one of the hospital nurses approached us.

"We already have a room ready for your mother if you want to go there and wait for her." She offered.

I looked over at Grandpa Max, who nodded at me. I turned back to the nurse.

"Yes, please. That'd be great." I said. "Lead the way."

The nurse nodded with a smile on her face and led us out of the lobby and towards the elevators.

 _Five Minutes Later_

"Okay, this is it." The nurse replied as she opened the door to freshly cleaned hospital room. "Just sit tight, okay? Your mom will be in here in no time!"

"We will." I said. "Thank you, miss."

"No problem." She said, before leaving the room. "Just come find one of us at the information desk if you need help."

"Thanks." I said. "I'll do that."

Once she was gone, Grandpa Max spoke.

"I'm going to go get a cup of coffee." He said. "Are you kids going to be okay here by yourselves?"

"Yes, Grandpa." Gwen said. "You go on ahead."

Grandpa nodded without even saying a word to me and then left the room. Once he was gone, I heard someone speaking, as if it were coming from a radio. Gwen and I both looked at a radio that was sitting by the window, which we previously hadn't noticed.

"Reports of a plump, small four-armed creature robbing the First Bellwood National Bank." The announcer on the radio said.

 _What?_ I thought. _That sounds vaguely like the creature I stopped before I found out Clancy was the killer!_

"What the hell?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know…" I said. "Where'd this radio come from?"

Before I got an answer, the most surprising thing happened. An additional voice spoke from the radio.

"You hear that, kid?" A familiar voice asked. "I'm trying to help you out!"

I narrowed my eyes as I stepped up to the radio.

"Director Steel." I angrily said through gritted teeth. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hey, kid." Director Steel said over the radio. "Long time, no see."

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Is that anyway to say hello to someone?" he asked.

"I thought I told you that I never wanted to see you again?" I asked.

"You never said anything about talking to you." Director Steel said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, you can't talk to me either." I said. "Now, how do I turn this thing off?"

"Don't turn the radio off!" he said.

I let out a sigh of anger.

"Okay, how are you talking to me?" I asked. "How can you hear me?"

"I have cameras in the room, Benjamin." Director Steel replied. "And once I figured out which room your mother would be staying after the delivery, it was easy to store a S.E.C.T. issued radio in there."

"What do you want from me?!" I asked with irritation, disregarding what he said.

"I want a favor from you kid. I hate to ask for another so soon, but I'll make it up to you one day." He said.

"A favor?" I asked. "What kind of favor?"

"There's a fat, midget tetramand robbing the First Bellwood National Bank." Steel said. "His name's Gorvan. I want you to do me a favor and go take care of him."

"But I don't want to!" I said. "And even if I did want to, I can't! I'm grounded! I'm not allowed to go hero anymore!"

There was silence from Director Steel now.

"Director…" I spoke.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out, kid." He said, interrupting me.

"No! You don't understand!" I said. "I can't go out there!"

There was no answer.

"Director Steel?" I asked.

After a few minutes of silence from his end, I finally accepted the presented fact.

"God damn it! I can't believe it!" I said as I slammed my fist down on the table. "That bastard hung up on me!"

"That bastard has a point though, Ben." Gwen said, speaking at last. "You have to go out there."

"But I'm grounded!" I said as I turned to face her. "And I don't even have a costume!"

"Yes, you do." She said as she took off the backpack she had been wearing all this time.

It finally hit me. Gwen had grabbed a backpack before we left the house. She lowered it and unzipped it, revealing all the pieces of my costume inside.

"What the hell, Gwen?!" I asked with shock, as I pushed both flaps of the bag together.

"I snagged it before we left. It was in your mother's room." She said.

"Okay, but why do you have it?" I asked with shock.

"Because I wanted to have it just incase you would need it." She said. "And you do. So, take it."

I shook my head.

"No, Gwen. I'm grounded." I said. "You hear me? Grounded!"

"You think your mom will have time to notice that you've put the costume back on while she's giving birth?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"Sorry, I still have to say no." I said. "I can't go against what Mom says."

"Yes, you can." She said.

"Gwen…" I spoke only to be interrupted.

"Ben, I can't sit back and let you quit again." She said. "You're going to go against what your mom says, even if she won't like it."

I said nothing.

"So, take that backpack and go do what Director Steel told you to do." She said.

"No, I'm not going to do it." I said.

"Yes, you are." She said. "The city needs you right now and whether your mom likes it or not, you can't just stand by and do nothing!"

I stared at her for a few seconds, before I sighed and took the backpack from her.

"Okay, fine." I said. "You win."

She grinned back at me.

"Okay. Now go now!" she said. "And come back safe!"

I nodded and ran out of the room, heading to look for an access point to the roof.

 _Gwen_

 _Five Minutes Later_

Ben had been gone for about five minutes when Albedo and Sunny ran into the room, both of them being out of breath. I didn't need to ask where they had been, seeing as Sunny's hair was a rat's nest and they were both sweating, but I asked anyway.

"Where have you guys been?" I asked.

"Oh, us?" Albedo asked in a nervous tone. "Sunny and I were checking out the cafeteria!"

I rolled my eyes.

 _Uh-huh, sure._ I thought. _You were definitely checking out something, but I bet it wasn't the cafeteria._

"So, where's Ben?" Sunny asked.

"Oh, you know." I said as I turned to the window.

As I turned, I saw Ben swing past, wearing his Alien Guy costume.

"Doing what he loves." I said as he swung past.

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

I landed right behind the midget Tetramand trying to rob the bank, without him even knowing I was there.

"Alright, just give me the money!" he exclaimed as he pointed some of energy weapons at the woman at the booth, one in each of his four hands. "All of the money you got!"

I decided to speak, which ultimately scared him.

"I never knew your name was Gorvan!" I said.

He spun around and shot at me with his energy weapons, which I somehow managed to avoid. Once he saw that it was me, he stopped firing.

"Oh no, it's you!" he exclaimed.

"You know, you're kind in my neighborhood, Gorvan." I said.

As soon as I stopped speaking, he lifted his firearm and fired a bolt of what might have been super-heated plasma at me. Somehow, I managed to dodge that one, too.

"I'll kill ya, I'll kill ya!" Gorvan exclaimed as he kept firing at me.

 _This guy's a joke!_ I thought. _I should just tie him up, call it done and get back to the hospital!_

"I'll go easy on you this time, Gorvan!" I exclaimed. "I'll only use my gauntlets!"

Gorvan didn't comprehend what I had said, he just kept shooting at me. I kept doing flips out of the way, easily evading his blasts. I could already tell that I would be here for a while.

 _Gwen_

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Bellwood General Hospital_

I looked on at Aunt Sandra, as she laid in in the hospital bed, holding in her arms a small, newborn baby bundled up in a pink towel. She had given birth relatively quickly. Ben had been born relatively quickly, so why wouldn't his sister be born relatively quickly? Anyway, I looked on at Aunt Sandra holding her newborn baby.

"She's beautiful, Aunt Sandra." I commented.

Aunt Sandra looked back at me with a tired smile on her face.

"Thank you, Gwen." She said.

"Have you figured out a name yet?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"No, I can't really decide what a good name would be." She said.

"Well, it's not that hard." Uncle Carl said. "How about "Gwen"?"

I blushed at the name recommendation as Aunt Sandra shook her head no.

"No, there's already one Gwen in this family." She said. "I don't want another person named "Gwen" in this family."

"Um, okay." Uncle Carl said. "How about Natalie?"

Aunt Sandra looked up at Uncle Carl.

"Come on, Carl!" she said. "Be serious!"

Uncle Carl gave her a sheepish look.

"I am being serious!" he said.

"Then could you make a more serious attempt at helping me pick out a name?" she asked.

"Fine!" Uncle Carl said.

He put his finger on his chin and began to think for a minute. After that, a bright look appeared on his face.

"What about Vera?" he asked.

"God, you're impossible." Sandra said with frustration.

"Alright, alright!" Carl said as he put up his hands in defense. "I got nothing! We should have been thinking of baby names from the get-go!"

"You mean you haven't been thinking about baby names?" I asked him.

He turned to face me.

"Well, no." he said. "Not exactly."

"No, not exactly?" I asked.

He just shrugged. After that, we stood around in silence for a number of minutes. Finally, after several minutes, Sandra's face lit up. She looked up at Carl.

"Carl?" she asked.

Carl looked up at her.

"Yeah?" he asked.

Sandra had a smile on her face.

"What was your mother's name?" she asked, the bright look remaining on her face.

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

Somehow, in the last forty five minutes, I hadn't been able to beat Gorvan. I just couldn't get close enough to him without almost getting myself fried by those fancy alien blasters of his. You know, for a fat, midget Tetramand, he was very nimble. Luckily, I had managed to get him to follow me out of a bank and all of the bank's patrons were now out of danger.

I had led him to a vacant library, which had been vacated once news of the bank robbery reached them. I didn't know how, but somehow, I was going to defeat Gorvan. Right now, I was hiding from him, behind a shelf of books. Well, I was trying to, anyway. I kicked a book across the floor by accident, and it was over. Gorvan whirled around on the other side of the shelf and began using his guns to shred through the books on the shelf.

"Come out!" he exclaimed. "Come out so I can kill you, God damn it!"

I cursed silently as he resumed firing through the shelf. I began to sneak to the end of the shelf once again. I rounded the corner and luckily, Gorvan didn't see me. I snuck up behind him and luckily, he didn't hear me. Once I reached him, I stood up, grabbed the back of his head and drove his face forward into the shelf. He let out a yell of pain and somehow managed to push me away from him.

"I'll kill ya for that!" he exclaimed as he shot at me.

I dodged his shots, until his weapons overheated. Once his weapons had stopped working, he began to exclaim with frustration.

"Come on, damn it!" He exclaimed as he shook the weapons in his hands. "Work!"

"Looks like your luck has ran out!" I exclaimed.

Gorvan looked up at me, desperately trying to fire at me, only for his weapons to refuse to work. I lifted my arms to face him and fired my wrist gauntlets. The grapple hooks lodged right into the barrels of two of his weapons and at first, nothing happened. Then, from the sudden metal being lodged into the barrels, Gorvan was shocked by electricity that came from his weapons. He wasn't the only one though.

The electricity traveled down the cords of my wrist gauntlets and I was shocked as well. The electricity flowed for maybe a minute or so, before it stopped. Once it did, I realized that for some reason, I was virtually unaffected. I knew that because Gorvan stood there, smoking from the electricity shock, before falling over and passing out. And that hadn't happened to me. I wasn't smoking like he had been, so I think he would be fine. I retracted the cords, only to see that the grapple hooks had been crunched beyond recognition.

They would have to be replaced, again. I let out a sigh, before I bent over to pick up Gorvan. I rested him up on my shoulder and proceeded to walk out of the library.

 _A Couple Minutes Later_

I emerged out onto the streets of Downtown Bellwood and tossed Gorvan to the ground, so the authorities could deal with him.

"Good ol' predictable Gorvan." I said as I turned, jumped up onto the wall of a building and began to climb. "See you around, pal!"

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _Bellwood General Hospital_

After finally getting back to the hospital, I took the elevator back up to the floor that Mom was staying on. I had come to a stop in front of the closed door to Mom's hospital room. I let out a sigh as I continued to stand there, staring at the door, not moving. I finally worked up the courage to knock on the door.

"Come in." a voice from the other side of the door called out to me.

I slowly opened the door and nervously walked into the hospital room. I shut the door behind me.

"Hey, did I miss…" I spoke in a nervous voice, before I stopped speaking upon seeing Mom holding a newborn baby wrapped in a light pink towel.

"Anything?" I stopped talking upon seeing Mom holding the baby.

I was scared of what Mom was going to say. She obviously knew that I had slipped out while she was in the delivery room. But when she turned to look at me, the look in her eyes surprised me. She didn't look angry with me. No, she looked happy. In fact, I could have sworn I saw some degree of approval in her eyes.

"Ben, come here." She said in soft voice.

I don't know why, but acting as though I were still in trouble, I gulped before I slowly paced over to her. Once I got to her, she looked back down at the baby. At last, she spoke.

"Ben, I'd like you to meet your little sister," she said as she continued looking down at the baby. "Verdona."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed!

* Coming up, there's going to be some changes in the story. I'm not sure if I mentioned it yet, but Chapter 100 will be a big chapter. Until the said chapter, my lips are sealed about what will happen. You won't get anything out of me.

* That's pretty much going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

Next Chapter: Ben and his mother have a talk about Ben's hero work. Ben and Gwen try to stabilize their relationship, as an additional family member is introduced into the Tennyson Family.


	22. Chapter 97: Talks

Chapter 97: Talks

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Seven! So, with Heart's Desire now over with, we're going to have a few filler chapters before the next story arc. Besides a new member coming to the family and quite a few talks, I can't really say too much about this chapter.

* So, with that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Ben_

 _Mid-December_

 _A Few Days Later_

I hesitantly knocked on the door to Mom's hospital room.

"Come in." she called from the other side of the door.

I took a deep breath as I opened the door and nervously walked into the room. I shut the door behind me and walked further into the room, where Mom laid in bed holding Verdona, who was bundled up in pajamas and a blanket.

"You uh, wanted to talk to me, Mom?" I asked.

"Yes, I did." She said as she looked up at me. "Have a seat."

I nervously pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed.

"So?" I asked with a nervous tone of voice.

She looked up at me.

"Well, first things first. Since you've been so worried about your mental well-being, your father and I have decided to get you into a psychiatrist." She said. "Your first session will be in a few days from now."

I let out a breath of relief as she said this.

"Oh my God, thank you. You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that."

I looked down at the floor with a smile on my face and the room went silent, besides the occasional coo that came from Verdona. Eventually, Mom broke the silence and spoke.

"There's more."

I looked up.

"There is?"

She nodded. I looked back down at the floor before sighing and looking back up.

"Okay. Let's hear it."

She sighed herself before she spoke.

"Ben, I know you snuck out to fight crime the day she was born."

I stared back at her, as my face turned red out of guilt and embarrassment. I looked down at the floor, feeling so guilty.

"I know that you know. It's pretty hard to miss."

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" she asked in a calm tone, which surprised me.

"What do you want me to say? It was Gwen's idea. I didn't want to go out, but she made me. I'm sorry."

"Don't do that."

I looked up at her.

"Are telling me not to apologize? I broke your rules! I did everything you specifically told me not to do, I…"

"Stop it, Ben. Just stop it for a second."

I looked down at the floor once again.

"Ben, this isn't easy for me to say. So, I'm just going to say it."

I looked up at her.

"I was wrong."

I blinked as she said that.

"What?"

She looked down at the baby.

"You were right, okay? You told your father and I that we should be proud of what you were doing, making the city a safer place. But at the time, I was too blinded from the stress of having another baby. And we are proud of you, Ben. I just want you to know that."

I just stared back at her with surprise, being unable to say anything.

"Your father and I are very proud of you, Ben. The city needs more people that are like you."

"What, you mean more people who want to protect the city and change it for the better?"

She nodded.

"Not just that, but special people. People who are gifted, like you, Gwen, Sunny and Albedo!"

I looked back down.

"So, you admit that you were wrong? You think what I'm doing is a good thing and that the city needs Alien Guy?"

She didn't say anything. I looked up to see her narrowing her eyes at me.

"Don't push it, Benjamin."

My face turned red again as she said that.

"Sorry."

There was silence once again after that.

"I've considered changing my mind."

I looked up at her.

"What?"

She sighed once more.

"I've changed my mind. You found something that you enjoyed, and I should be happy. Even if it's crime fighting, and you're putting yourself in danger, I'm glad that you enjoy doing it."

"It was stress relieving more than anything."

"Ben, just be quiet and listen."

I sighed.

"Okay."

"Good. Now, listen. I'm going to let you resume your crime fighting. Your "hero work" as you call it."

I perked up as she said that.

"What? Really?"

She let out a sigh before she nodded. I looked back at her with shock.

"Wow." I said at last.

"There are terms though, Benjamin."

"There are?"

She nodded. I looked down at the floor once again.

"What are they?"

"For starters, you'll have a curfew. I want you and anyone with you back home by ten o'clock on week nights and no later than ten thirty on the weekends."

I let out a breath.

"What else?" I asked as I looked back up.

Mom gave me a serious look.

"You will never again use those batons of yours as long as you shall live under my roof. They'll be kept safe in a secure spot and you'll never find them. Do we understand each other?"

I looked at her and eventually nodded.

"Yes, Mother."

She smiled.

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other."

I looked back down at the ground without another word.

"And Ben?"

I looked back up, to see that she had a smile on her face.

"Whenever you go out, kick some ass for your father and I, will you?"

I couldn't help but smile back. I nodded at last.

"I'll do that." I said.

Her smiled remained. She nodded to the door.

"That's all, Ben. You can go home now if you want."

I nodded before getting up from the chair.

"Okay, I'll see you later. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Ben."

 _Later_

 _Ben's House_

When I got back from the drive home, I got worried once I saw Albedo standing outside waiting for me. So, with a sigh I walked up to the stoop.

"What is it?" I asked. "What do you want?"

"I want to say I'm sorry." Albedo said.

"What?" I asked, giving him a confused look.

He let out a sigh.

"Look, man. We both said some things. I…"

"Really?" I interrupted. "We both said some things?"

He dropped the happy look that had been on his face.

"Yeah, you said some things, I said some things, but we didn't mean what we said, alright? So, I'm sorry."

I just stared at him.

"Really? That's it? "I'm sorry"? Is that the best you can do?"

He just stared back with confusion.

"Yeah. What else do you want?" he said at last.

I laughed with sarcasm.

"Albedo, sorry isn't going to cut it! You basically threw me away! You left me to rot when Gwen dumped me, and you should have been by my side the whole time! Unlike you, Sunny actually seemed sympathetic! And you and I both know that Sunny doesn't do sympathetic! You thought it was my fault that Gwen dumped me! You're going to have to try harder than that!"

He just looked at me with an amount of fear in his eyes.

"Ben?"

I walked past him.

"We can try again tomorrow. And just pretend that the entire last week didn't happen."

I walked into the house before he could say another word to me.

 _Later That Night_

I walked into Gwen and I's bedroom after a shower. As I walked in and shut the door, she propped herself up onto her shoulder, so she was looking at me from the bed.

"Hey, you." She said.

"Hey." I said as I smiled and dropped my towel onto the floor.

I moved over to the bed and laid down, before hugging myself against her and rubbing my face into her shoulder.

"My, my, aren't we affectionate tonight?" she asked as she giggled from the feeling.

I pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

I pulled her into a kiss, which she happily accepted. Once we began to pull away, I remained with my face close to hers and began to lightly nibble on and suck on her bottom lip. She silently giggled at the sensation.

"Don't get carried away, lover boy." She whispered into my ear, pulling away from me.

"But I just want to hold you…" I whispered as I pulled her closer to me.

"Easy there, tiger." She said as she gently pushed me away. "We've only been back together for a few days! We should wait a week or two to get, you know, frisky… with each other…"

I just stared back at her and I eventually sighed.

"You're right."

She must have seen the sad look in my eyes, because she spoke up as she pulled me back into her arms.

"Hey, it's alright. The only thing that matters is that we're together again."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

We remained like that for a few more seconds and even though I didn't want to, I pulled away, so I could get a shirt from the closet. I got up off the bed and moved to the open closet. I pulled out a black long sleeved shirt and put it on. I returned to the bed and sat down next to Gwen.

"So, how'd the talk with your mom go?" she asked.

"It was… interesting."

"Interesting how so?"

I was quiet for a second.

"Well first, she's got me down for an appointment with a psychiatrist."

"That's a good thing. You'll finally be getting the help you need."

I turned to look at her.

"Do you think I'm crazy, Gwen?"

She stared back at me with a sympathetic look on her face before speaking.

"No, Ben. I don't think you're crazy. Even if you've been seeing Kevin, that doesn't mean you're crazy. You may just have some mild form of PTSD."

"Like that makes me feel any better."

"Well, I'm sorry it doesn't. Is there anything else?"

"Well, she's allowing me, I mean us, to continue hero work."

"Really? That's great!"

"Well, there are conditions."

"Conditions?"

"We all have a curfew. We are to be back home no later than ten o'clock on school nights and ten thirty on weekends. Oh, and I'm not allowed to use the batons. Mom said that she's going to put them in a place where I'll never find them."

Gwen was silent for a while.

"Well, I think that's fair!"

"Yeah, if only."

"What, do you not think so?"

"Of course, it's not fair, Gwen! I would go out there right now and fight crime 'til sunrise!"

"Did you not learn from what happened the last time you did that, Ben?"

I gave her a dark look and she shrunk back a little.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." She replied as she looked away.

There was silence between us after that.

"Look, regardless of you bringing that up, we need to talk about that." I said at last.

"Oh?" she asked as she looked at me.

"It was necessary." I said.

"It was necessary?"

"That man knew who I was underneath the mask, as well as knowing how to get to me! I can't allow that to happen again."

"Ben, it wasn't your fault that he knew all of that. And I'm not sure how he figured it out. You have to let it go. He's been put away and we'll never see him again. All you have to do is just be careful with what you do while you're in costume. Make sure the mask stays on and don't give anything away that could be used against you and you should be fine."

I looked at her and eventually sighed.

"Yeah, you're right."

She snuggled up against me after that and put her arm around me.

"I'm glad that we can put this behind us." She said.

"So am I." I replied as I put my arm around her in turn.

The breakup had taken its toll on both of us. However, I'd like to say that I had the worst side of it. I was mentally unwell, and I was depressed, hence why I wanted to see a therapist and/or psychiatrist. I'm just glad that we got back together when we did, I'm not sure what would have happened if our breakup was permanent.

"But enough about me," I said. "What about you?"

She pulled away and gave me a funny look.

"What about me?"

"Where did you go when you left for a week?"

She looked down for a bit.

"My parents' house." She said as she looked back up.

"But I thought your Mom-"

"-Disowned me after she found out we were dating. Yeah. Yeah, she did."

"So, she accepted you when you came back?"

"Only when I told her that you dumped me."

"Of course."

"And then she kicked me out once I told her that I was going to try to get back together with you."

"I'm sorry, she what?"

Gwen giggled as she held up her hands.

"Okay, in all fairness, she asked me to leave for both our sake."

"Both your sake? And do you think she would have made you leave?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. But she said she needed time to wrap her head around "the concept of incest in the family", and she didn't believe home would be a good place for me to be. She thought that I should be here for the time being."

I shook my head.

"Jesus Christ, your mom needs to understand the fact that this is okay. You've found love and she shouldn't care who it is. I mean, marrying your first cousin used to be very common!"

"Hey, look who's talking smart!"

I gave her a look.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

She flashed a slightly offended look at me.

"Hey, I was being serious."

"And so was I."

She gave me a pouty face in return, jutting out her bottom lip just a bit. I opened up my arms.

"Come here."

She leaned forward without a word and melted into my arms, putting hers around my back and remained motionless. I leaned in and rested my head gently on hers. I sniffed the air and caught the scent of strawberries.

We continued to snuggle, until the moment was interrupted by the sound of scratching on the bedroom door coming from the hallway. Gwen let out a sigh as she slightly pulled away.

"It sounds like she wants in." she replied. "We should probably open the door."

I let out a sigh as I got off the bed.

"You're right." I said as I opened the door a little bit.

I sat back down on the bed with Gwen and a few seconds later, a kitten with white fur jumped up onto the bed with us. Her name was Snowball and she was Gwen's birthday present. She was a few months old as well. While Gwen didn't physically get me a present, I accepted the fact that us getting back together was my present from her.

But I wanted to get a present for her, regardless of the fact if she got me a present or not. And that's when I remembered that Gwen was an animal lover. And, what's a better gift than a kitten? Speaking of which, Snowball lightly butted her head against my leg, demanding to be pet. I reached and began to lightly scratch behind her ear, earning a happy meow from the cat.

"I can't thank you enough for her, Ben." Gwen said as she kissed my cheek.

"And so, you've thanked me like that almost fifty times now." I said, giddy at the feeling of her lips on my cheek. "Please don't change that."

"Keep it in your pants, Romeo." She whispered into my ear, giggling as she did.

I looked at her with confusion.

"Who said anything about _that_? I'm just happy to have you kissing me again!"

"As much as I'd love to kiss you with no stopping, we should really get to sleep. Classes start next week."

I let out a sigh.

"Don't remind me. And I have the psychiatrist to see the day after tomorrow."

It was hard to believe. Winter Break 1.0 was almost over. I know that may sound silly, but that is honestly what we called it. Well, it's what I called it. We had been on break well before Thanksgiving and now the first week of December was done and over with. So, yeah, it was like winter break had come early this year.

"You're right." I said. "We should call it a night."

I shut off the light without another word and laid down. Gwen laid down in her spot next to me, as Snowball got comfortable, lying down between us.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed! What do you guys think of Ben getting Gwen a cat for her birthday? And Ben will eventually get back to crime fighting, so there's that. And also, the series will eventually return to its normal flow, so don't worry.

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _csgt (Chapter 94): Short, but very nice. I liked to see Ben getting things off his chest in his talk with "Kevin". Good for him. I wonder if this is the last scene of Kevin in Ben's head or if he will still be there later. From the looks of things, it sounds like Ben is getting over Kevin's death, and although it still hurts, he will finally allow himself to "let Kevin go" Great job_

Thanks, csgt. I'm glad you liked that chapter. Even I myself don't know when we'll see Kevin again. Hell, this may be the last time we ever see him in any regard. The best I can say as of right now is that it may be a while until we see him again. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 96): And again, three great chapters congrats_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapters. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Rainbow Prime (Chapter 16): Why is this reading something like a Spider-Man comic book?_

Because Rainbow Prime, that's the way I envisioned it. I wanted the series (my series, anyway) to feel as though it's inside a comic book. And if you don't like the way I do things, how the series runs, then that's cool. I never expected to win over every person who reads the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _BoredKing (Chapter 3): Too dramatic to be believable, too be honest. Also him throwing the watch is just feels like obvious build-up to more drama. Hope I'm wrong or its at least good drama_

Thanks, BoredKing. Okay, it's fine if you think it's too dramatic to be believable. And you're right, it was build-up to more drama. Although at this point, I can't say if I was trying to make it seem obvious. It's been a while, so I forgot what I was going for there. Nevertheless, thanks for the review, as always.

 _BoredKing (Chapter 4): His actions toward the watch and how he is reacting to being labeled a villain are really awkward._

Thanks, BoredKing. That was a while ago and I wasn't as good as a writer as I am now. I'd like to think that with time I've gotten better with my writing. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _BoredKing (Chapter 7): I know this is old but this needs some extreme tuning to make any character interactions seem orgnanic. Everything just reads like their cliff-notes and we're missing the something._

Thanks, BoredKing. So, I get your first point, but not your second one. "Reads like their cliff-notes and we're missing the something". I'm not sure what you're supposed to mean there. But anyway, thanks for the review, as always.

 _BoredKing (Chapter 10): I'm gonna assume Ben is just going crazy and this is not how he would usually act._

Thanks, BoredKing. It's the Omnitrix messing with his head. That's why he's acting that way. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben goes in to see a psychiatrist, where he receives a surprising revelation.


	23. Chapter 98: Therapy

Chapter 98: Therapy

 _ **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Eight! This chapter is exactly what the title implies. Just a therapeutic chapter for Ben. Okay, so I've decided to debut Jennifer Nocturne in this chapter. However, in this universe, she's not an actress, she's a psychiatrist/therapist. I decided not to make her an actress, as in the original canon, she became a bit of a love interest for Ben. And with Gwen being in the picture, Ben won't have room for any love interests anymore.

* So, with that being said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Ben_

I let out a sigh as I sat down on the couch.

"Good morning, Ben. My name is Doctor Jennifer Nocturne." The psychiatrist spoke. "How are you feeling today?"

She was beautiful, if I had to be honest. Not as beautiful as Gwen, of course. She had long blonde hair, wore glasses, but underneath the lenses, I could see two stunning blue eyes. She looked like she was in her mid-to-late twenties.

 _It's okay,_ Mom's voice sounded off in my head. _Just tell her everything that you told us._

I shrugged.

"I'm feeling okay, Ma'am." I said before trying to correct myself. "Erm, Doc."

Jennifer chuckled after I said that.

"Let's do away with the formalities, shall we?" she asked. "I never liked them. Please, you can just call me Jenny."

"Um, okay."

She sat down in a roley chair a few feet away from me and grabbed a notebook and pen from her desk.

"So, you parents tell me that you feel like that you're losing your sanity." She asked as she opened the notebook. "Can you tell me why you think that is?"

I looked down.

"It's kind of tough to find the place to start." I said.

"Just start wherever you feel comfortable, Ben." Jenny said.

I tried to figure out where to start. I obviously couldn't tell her about Alien Guy and all the things I've done. I had to make something up.

"Well, I've been hearing voices in my head."

"And who's voice have you been hearing?"

"My best friend's."

"Kevin. Kevin Levin, right? Was that his name?"

I nodded. I wasn't surprised that she knew his name, as Mom and Dad had told me that they informed Doctor Nocturne a bit about the background of my situation.

"When did you start hearing his voice, Ben?"

"Well, Doc, it was about…"

"Jenny, please. I told you I didn't like formalities."

"Jenny." I corrected myself. "It was about a month or so ago, when The Infinity Killer began going on his killing spree."

"Mmm-hmm. And in these episodes, what did you hear "him" saying to you?"

 _Yikes, another situation where I can't tell her what was really going on. Looks like I have to make something up again._

"He was berating me." I finally said. "He kept telling me that I was the reason for his death and that I should be ashamed of myself."

"Why would you be the reason for his death?"

I sighed.

"We had been friends since the second grade. But earlier this summer, our friendship ended on a sour note. He said some things, I said some things and at the end of that week, he killed himself."

"I see. Well, I'm sorry." She said with sympathy as she continued writing.

"I think that he blames me for his death. I think he hated me for the things I said." I continued. "He wants me to feel guilty for what happened, even though I had nothing to do with it."

"I can understand that. Even though, if I may say, it's really not your fault, Ben."

"So I've been told."

She continued writing in her notebook for a minute before speaking again.

"Can you think of anything else? Anything significant?"

I thought to myself. I thought back to how I hardly ate at times and how I distanced myself from my friends and family. I finally spoke.

"I tended not to eat for a while, only eating when I absolutely needed it. And I cut myself off from my friends and family. After Kevin's death, I stopped caring about everything. I didn't let anyone in, I kept mostly to myself."

"All signs pointing to depression and being antisocial. That's pretty normal for the things that have happened to youth like you."

"I know that, so I've been told. But Doc, erm, Jenny, I've been hearing voices in my head. Is _that_ normal?"

She looked at me for a few seconds before sighing.

"Well, the voices of your loved ones and friends even can resonate within your mind for a time." She said at last.

"Jenny, I appreciate your explanations, but I'm hearing the voice of my best friend. He's threatening me." I said. "How is that normal?"

I was trying my best to remain calm, as this lady had just come into my life, she didn't know my troubles and therefore, it wouldn't be fair of me to yell and freak out at her as I had done with my parents. She looked on at me still.

"It's understandable that you may feel guilt over his death, you could just be thinking that you hear his voice."

I looked down and put my chin in my hand, trying to decide what was appropriate to say.

"I'm sorry. You look like that's not the response you wanted. Is there anything you'd like to say?"

I looked back up at her.

"Jenny, I was hoping that whatever is causing this could be solved with a simple fix. All I want is for all of this to stop. I want to stop feeling like I'm losing my grip on reality twenty four hours a day."

She looked at me for a few seconds.

"I see."

She went back to writing down notes in her book.

"Is there anything else you want to add?"

I shook my head.

"Not really. I'm sorry for making this such a short session, but I really don't want know what to talk about."

"That's alright, Ben. Now, if I may, I'd like to ask a few questions of my own."

"Sure. It's your session."

"Okay, how did your parents react to your drastic change of a lifestyle?"

I looked down once more.

"Well, Mom was very concerned for me. It scared her that I wouldn't eat or talk to anyone. Dad, however thought that whatever was going on with me would work its course. My girlfriend was the most supportive, while trying to make sure that I stayed in school rather than skipping it. I do appreciate her help, it didn't entirely help me."

"I see."

"What else do you want to ask?"

"Did you have any kind of a coping mechanism?"

I shrugged.

"I guess I kind of just shut down. Like I said, I shut everyone out. I tried to keep to myself and not to let anyone get too close."

"Because you thought that his death was your fault?"

I nodded.

"Okay. I'd like to ask you another question."

"Go ahead."

She let out a sigh as she took off her glasses.

"When exactly were you going to tell me that you're Alien Guy?"

When she said that, it felt like my blood had run cold.

"Wait, what?" I asked as I looked up.

Doctor Nocturne just flashed me an eerie smile.

"What did you just say?!" I asked as I stood up. "How do you know who I am?!"

She continued to smile, as she reached towards her ear and I now noticed an earpiece that I hadn't noticed before. I reached for the Omnitrix, ready to dial it up if need be.

"Director? You can come out now. I think we got him." she said.

 _Director?_ I thought. _As in Director… Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me._

The last person I ever wanted to see then appeared in the center of the room: Director Steel. I didn't want to hear him out. I didn't even _let_ him have the chance to try to have me hear him out.

"This session is over." I said as I walked to the door. "Thank you very much, Doctor."

Before I could open the door, he spoke.

"Kid, I know that I'm the last person on Earth that you want to see right now." Director Steel said. "But I need you to sit back down on that couch and listen to what I have to say. You are required to do so."

I spun around to face him.

"You have some nerve showing up here, Steel! I'm not required to do anything for you!"

He said nothing in return. I then attempted to punch him in the jaw. But once my jaw made contact with his skin, or what I thought was skin, it just phased through his head. A hologram.

"Sorry, kid. I planned ahead." He said as he pointed down. "I knew that you would want to try to hit me, so I'm not really here."

I looked down at what he was pointing at. It was some kind of circular device, which was displaying Director Steel, with his lower half being virtually nonexistent. He really was a hologram.

"Now, that that is out of the way, I need you to sit back down."

"No." I said as I turned back to the door.

"Kid, you need to do what I say. Because…"

"No!" I exclaimed as I turned back to face him. "There is no because! I don't care why you want me to hear you out! You don't get to come back into my life after I told you to leave me alone!"

"I'm not going to let you tell me what I can and can't do!" he said. "Now listen to what I have to say, you runt!"

I was frankly out of breath at this point, so I had no choice but to allow him to speak.

"Listen, your parents contacted me. _They_ came to me, it wasn't the other way around."

"What does that have anything to do with this?! And what's the deal with Doctor Nocturne?!" I asked as I pointed at her. "Why does she know who I am?!"

"She knows who you are, because it's her job to know who you are."

"I'm sorry?"

Doctor Nocturne let out a sigh as she put her glasses back on.

"Ben, I am an on-call therapist and psychiatrist for S.E.C.T. Not all of my clients are "normal people", if you will." she said. "I have worked with and have helped dozens of S.E.C.T. agents deal with any issues they might have. I was told by Director Steel that you are Alien Guy, because it's my job to help you overcome any issues you may be dealing with."

I was in shock now. I hadn't expected this when I got out of bed this morning.

"So, that being said, are you going to accept the help when it's clearly presented in front of you?"

I let out a sigh and looked down.

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Let's start at the beginning." Doctor Nocturne spoke. "Your friend Kevin didn't really kill himself, did he?"

I shook my head.

"No, he didn't. I decided to keep my identity to myself, because I didn't know you." I said. "It didn't feel right to enlighten you on my troubles. It's just another person that someone could use against me. I decided to change the story for your own safety."

"How nice of you. What's the real story?"

"Kevin was an energy sponge, just like Director Steel, who happens to be…"

"His father, trust me, I know. I read your file when you became one of my clients."

"Y-You have a file on me?"

"Not me. S.E.C.T. has a file on you. They gave me permission to view it before you came in, so I'd be familiar with you."

"Then why have you been asking me all these questions? If you know everything about me, then what's the point of me answering questions?"

"I want to root around inside of that head of yours Ben. I want to pick out what disorders you may be suffering from and ones that I know you _aren't_ suffering from. However, I can't do that without knowing what you feel, how you think. So, that's why I ask that for the remainder of our session, you be one hundred percent honest with me. Do you think you can do that?"

I nodded.

"Excellent!" she said. "Now, what happened with Kevin?"

"One day during the summer, he and a bunch of friends came over to play video games. When he left, we shook hands and he absorbed the Omnitrix's energy."

I lifted up my right hand and brought the Omnitrix out of camouflage.

"This is it. This is the Omnitrix."

"Mmm-hmm. And after that? What happened?"

"Kevin, he uh, he kind of became a villain for a while."

"He became a villain?"

"He tried to kill my future girlfriend, Gwen. And her brother, Ken. And as weird as it sounds, my girlfriend is also my cousin."

"I don't care about that."

I looked up at her.

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't care that you're dating your cousin. In fact, I think it's beautiful."

"Beautiful?"

"Relatives. "Relatives". It's such a human word. If you love someone and they love you, you should be able to be with them. Love doesn't care, there are no boundaries. If it's true love, nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of you achieving happiness."

I was stunned by what she had said.

"Doctor Nocturne, can we please get back to the point?" Director Steel interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up at him with anger. What Doctor Nocturne had just said felt good to hear and it's like he didn't even care.

"Of course. I'm sorry, Director. Anyway, what else did he do?"

I looked down.

"He worked with a team that was led by my greatest enemy. They tried to have me killed. And they almost killed my girlfriend."

"What happened?"

"She was hit on the head by a blunt object. She's Lucky Girl, my girlfriend is Lucky Girl, one of the other costumed vigilantes working in the city. She lost a lot of blood and had to get her head stitched up. She survived but retains almost no memory of that night."

"Mmm-hmm. When did you first begin to have romantic feelings for her?"

"I think the day after we went to a water park. The Omnitrix began speaking to me, convincing me that I was in love with her."

"But are you? In love with her, I mean."

I looked at her.

"Without a doubt. I couldn't survive without her."

"Was that the only time you had to try to protect her?"

"No, and not even that was the first time. We went for a walk in the park, prior to all of this. And there was a man there, a drunken man, who wanted to sexually assault her."

"What happened?"

"I beat him within an inch of his life. And I enjoyed it. That's how much it meant to me, protecting her."

"How did she react to it?"

"It scared her, seeing what I did to protect her. She ran home without me when I tried to approach her after."

"Were you eventually able to approach her?"

"Yes. I think she just needed her time."

"Mmm-hmm. Can we get back to Kevin?"

"What do you want to know?"

"What happened with Kevin after that?"

"Well, he, we all were taken hostage by the Forever Knights, an organization with the opposite intentions of S.E.C.T. We were all tested on, they almost made him into an uncontrollable monster. They also tested on Albedo, my brother and clone, who was generated from the Omnitrix with my DNA sample."

"Interesting. Go on."

"Look, to make a long story short, it all ended with a fight on the rooftop of the Forever Knights building. Kevin and I fought for the final time and I beat him, I kept him from killing Enoch that time. However, it didn't really matter, because later, Kevin would tell me that he killed Enoch in prison."

"Why did he do it?"

"He believed that Enoch had made him into a freak. And I guess killing him was just payback."

"I see. What happened next?"

"Well, this next bit is a bit hard to explain. Doctor, have…"

"Jenny. Why do I keep having to tell you that I don't like formalities?" she interrupted.

"No, you don't get to do that."

"I don't get to do what, Ben?"

"You don't get to ask me to call you by your name!" I said in an irritated tone. "Not after you kept your affiliation from me!"

"I want to help you. I've worked with S.E.C.T. agents before! I'm familiar with the sort of things you've been through!"

"Well, you should have told me that as soon as the session started."

"You would have ran out of here before I could even get a word out."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Anyway, what were you about to ask me?"

"Have you ever heard of the multiverse theory, Doctor?"

"Of course. It's a hypothetical theory that proposes that there is an existing group of many different universes, including the one that we live in. Why do you ask?"

"Because I can confirm that the multiverse theory is true."

She looked at me with surprise.

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Because I traveled across space and time. I've seen two different universes. Our universe is just a pocket universe in a sea of pocket universes. The universe is so much bigger than we thought!"

Doctor Nocturne looked down and began writing in her notebook again.

"Ben, have you ever done any kind of hallucinogenic drugs?" she asked at last.

I was in complete shock as to what she said.

"No, I'm being serious!" I said with irritation.

"So, am I. So, have you?"

"No! God, I wouldn't even know where to get any!"

"Wise answer. So, what is this about the multiverse?"

"I went, or rather, I was abducted against my own will and was taken to a different universe, one set in a war torn Bellwood."

"What happened there?"

"Vilgax, one of my enemies in this world had annihilated almost every major city on Earth in that universe and he crowned himself Emperor and decided to rule over the ruins of Bellwood."

"What happened? What did he do?"

"He wasn't able to do anything. Sure, he killed some of us, but in the end, me and the rest of the other Bens across all of existence were able to bring him down. We freed that world from his reign of tyranny."

"That sounds all well and good, but what does this have to do with Kevin?"

"Filler story. I was in that dimension for two weeks there, but only two days here, if that makes sense. The time flows are different. There were just in betweens."

"Okay. When is the next time that you saw Kevin after that?"

"I saw him about a day after I came back. He wanted to apologize for the things he had done. We played some games to rekindle our friendship."

"Did it work?"

"For the most part. After that we talked for a while and that's when he told me that he had killed Enoch while in prison. He said he felt bad about it, that it's the worst thing he's ever done. But he surprised me when he said he didn't want to be cured of his condition. Instead, he wanted to try to learn to use his new powers for good. Surprised me even more when he told me that he didn't want me to interfere. He wanted to go off on his own and find his purpose in life."

"Why do you think he did that?"

"Why? He wanted to go on his own path. I just said that!"

"Keep calm. What's next?"

"A week or so later, we found out he was dying."

"How was he dying?"

"The Omnitrix allows me to change into different aliens. And when Kevin absorbed its energy, he got that ability as well. However, me changing into an alien rips my DNA apart and rearranges it to match the specific alien that I chose. And once I revert back to human form, it happens again, but in reverse. The Omnitrix doesn't let me transform often because the transformations strain the human body. And without the Omnitrix to help "contain" it, the strain of the transformations was killing him."

"Was there a cure for his condition?"

"Maybe. My Grandpa Max was working on one, but he didn't get far enough. And it wouldn't matter anyway. Kevin would still die a couple days later."

"What happened?"

"He disobeyed my orders, even though I had told him not to transform. I guess in his opinion, we needed his powers if we were to defeat the villain we were fighting."

"Who was the bad guy?"

"Savage Animo. He was a former S.E.C.T. scientist that injected himself with what he thought would be the super soldier serum. It didn't work. It cost him his sanity and now he can transform into a pale Hulk-like creature at will."

"How did you defeat him?"

"I didn't defeat him. Kevin did. He lured him into a pond in the park and he used his powers to freeze the water."

"What happened next?"

I looked down.

"He died on a rooftop."

"Back it up a little, Ben. What happened in between the park and the rooftop?"

"Nothing. He just died on the rooftop soon after that."

"Okay. How did he die?"

"I think the strain from the transformations had finally become to much for his body to handle. I think he died of a heart attack."

She nodded.

"I understand. Is there anything else?"

I nodded.

"A thing or two."

"Okay. Why don't we start with what you feel like is the most important?"

I looked up.

"Remember the homeless guy I told you about? They guy who tried to assault Gwen?"

"Yes. What about him?"

"Well, his name is Clancy. And he was the Infinity Killer."

Doctor Nocturne was silent for a few seconds.

"How do you know that?"

"Because he told me himself. I eventually found him in an old tenement building."

"What happened there?"

"Well, I found out that he wanted revenge for what I had did to him. He personally believed that he should have been able to get Gwen and that I had taken her from him. So, he was going to kill six of the people I love. Then me. And then Gwen, probably after he assaulted her like he originally wanted to."

"I take it there was something different about him this time?"

I nodded.

"And what was that?"

"I don't know how he could do it, but now he could cover himself with many different kinds of bugs. He could make his body into a hulking monstrosity. In this form, he had superhuman strength, speed and agility."

"How did you defeat him?"

"I sprayed three cans worth of bug spray into his face. And it killed the bugs on his body. It gave me enough time to knock him out."

"What happened after that?"

"He was taken into S.E.C.T. custody. If I'm lucky, I'll never see him again."

"Has this situation dealt you any harmful after effects?"

"Yeah, it did."

"What were they?"

"I cut myself off from everyone. One of, if not my greatest enemy, knew who I was and how to break me. In fear that that would happen again, I decided to fight crime as often as I could."

"How did that end?"

"Not well. Gwen broke up with me because she thought she was standing in the way of my priorities."

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't all bad. We got back together pretty quickly. Not even before the week was over. The day my baby sister was born, which happens to be our birthday."

"What's your sister's name?"

"Verdona."

"Verdona? I've never heard of that name before."

"I think it's a family name, but I don't know whose name it is."

"Anyway, how have things been recently?"

"They've been pretty okay. They were worse before Gwen and I got back together."

"How so?"

"My parents found out I was Alien Guy. They took the costume away from me and everything. But Mom eventually changed her mind. She'll allow me to continue fighting crime, but at a cost."

"What cost?"

"I have a curfew. I am to be in the house no later than ten o'clock on a school night and ten thirty on the weekends. I'm also not allowed to engage in extreme methods of crime fighting."

"Well, that makes sense to me."

"Yeah."

"Anything else you can think of?"

I leaned forward with my chin resting in my hands, thinking to myself. I looked back up at her.

"There was a time, when Gwen rejected me because of her crush on my alter ego. She didn't know who I was yet. And this was also after Kevin almost killed her. I couldn't go through that again. And so, I decided to leave."

"You decided to leave?"

"Yes. I left home. I wanted to fight crime twenty four seven as an anti-hero. I told myself that Ben Tennyson was dead. I told myself that he was dead and there was only Alien Guy. And hell, you know what? After a while, I began to believe it."

"Hmm." Doctor Nocturne mumbled to herself as she continued writing in her notebook. "What else?"

"I haven't been sleeping well."

"How so?"

"Once Clancy told me that I'd see him everywhere, even in my nightmares. And he was right."

"So, you've been having nightmares about him? Clancy, the Infinity Killer?"

I nodded.

"What are the nightmares about, Ben?"

"In every nightmare, Clancy kills me. And he doesn't just kill me. He kills me in ways that I have no business knowing about. And once it's all over, I wake up in a cold sweat."

"That's understandable. You've been through trauma, you will have nightmares. They may fade with time."

"I'm sure that you would say something like that."

"What else do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. I guess I just want these nightmares to go away."

"I'm afraid I can't help you with that."

I said nothing in return.

"Is there anything else?"

I shook my head.

"I don't think so."

"Okay, then."

She looked down and went back to writing in her notebook.

"So, what's the verdict, Doc?"

"Hold on."

She continued writing, before she looked up at me.

"The main thing first: It seems to me that you are suffering from PTSD."

That made sense. The nightmares about Clancy every night definitely spelled out PTSD.

"What else?"

"From what you've told me about Kevin and your experience after his death, you're most likely depressed."

 _Shocker._

"Next?"

"Now hold on. Before we move on, I want to give you some advice."

I was confused.

"Um, okay?"

"You should write a letter!"

I was utterly confused.

"A letter? Um, I don't follow."

"You should write a letter to Kevin!"

"Um, Kevin's dead? He'll never be able to read it!"

"The point isn't for him to read it. It's for you to write down your feelings. If you write down your feelings about the matter on paper, you may be able to find peace within yourself."

I thought about it. It honestly did make sense.

"Okay, you're right. Maybe I should do that."

She looked down and went back to writing.

"What do you have next?" I asked.

"Hold on, please."

She continued writing before she spoke.

"You said that you cut everyone off to fight crime as often as you could. You had a worry that the Infinity Killer situation would happen again if one of your foes uncovered your identity. It's because of this that I feel you may have a sort of anxiety disorder."

I'm not sure how I felt about that.

"Um, I'm not sure how I feel about that."

She looked up at me.

"I was trying to protect the people I love!"

"Mmm-Hmm. Um, it's possible that at one point you may have suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder."

"I'm sorry?"

"You told me that there was a time that you decided to be a hero twenty four hours a day, right? And that you began to believe yourself to be dead?"

"Um, yes?"

"It's just that I feel like you may have been suffering from D.I.D. back then."

"Um, okay."

"You don't believe me?"

"I…I…I just don't see it."

"Okay, that's fine. You're entitled to your own opinion. Um, I just want to say that you cutting off all your friends and family sounds like a hint of antisocial disorder."

"Okay."

"What? You don't believe that either?"

"I didn't say that. Do you have anything else?"

She closed her notebook.

"No, that's all I have. Which is lucky, because our time's up."

"It is?"

"Yes."

"Wow, that went by quickly."

"That means it was a good session."

"Ahem." I heard someone clear their throat.

I turned to look at Director Steel.

"Oh, um, I guess I owe you a thank you for this." I said. "So, thanks."

He nodded.

"Does that mean you forgive me?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Don't push it." I said.

"I helped you." He said. "Now, you owe me a favor."

"Like I said, don't push it."

"I'm not giving a suggestion or asking, kid. I'm saying _you owe me a favor_. This isn't debatable."

I just looked back at him with anger.

"See ya around, kid." He said, before the hologram disappeared.

Once he was gone, I turned back to look at Doctor Nocturne.

"Well, I suppose I should thank you, Doc." I said.

"Jenny." She corrected me for the third or fourth time.

I sighed.

"Thank you, _Jenny_. And that's for your words about love." I said as my cheeks turned light pink. "I don't think anyone's given me that outlook on the matter."

She just smiled in return.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you found this session to be of help."

"So, am I crazy? Do I need medication?"

Her smiled melted from her face and a more serious expression replaced it.

"Crazy? No. However, you most likely are depressed and may be suffering from PTSD after everything you've been through."

"Great."

"Hey, it's not the end of the world. If you need the medication, so what? It'll help you, after all."

"I know, I know. I just think it's kind of pathetic that at this point in my life, I need a shrink."

"Hey, it's not every day that your average sixteen year old comes across an alien device that allows him to transform into aliens."

"Yeah. That, too."

"Remember what I said. I've helped many S.E.C.T. agents in the past. None of this was new to me. Except for your dispute with the Infinity Killer, I think you're the only agent with such a dispute."

"Yeah, well I'm no agent. I'm not one of Steel's puppets."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"I will never be one of his agents. I hate S.E.C.T. and everything about them."

"What makes you hate them?"

"Steel abandoned his own son and allowed him to die."

"Don't you think that you're being a little too unfair to Director Steel? He only recently found out that Kevin was his son!"

"How did you know about that?"

"I read your file, remember?"

"Oh, right."

There was silence between us after that. I eventually cleared my throat and spoke again.

"Well, thank you for this. I may have not gotten all the answers that I was looking for, but it's given me a new outlook."

"No problem, I'm glad I could help."

"But that's time for today, right?"

She nodded.

"Yep, we're all out of time for today."

"Was this like a one time thing? What if I need help again?"

"No, this can't be a one time thing for you. You'll come in once every couple months or so."

"Okay, thanks."

"Like I said, I'm glad to help. But, time's up. So, we should probably get you out of here. But first, let's set up your next appointment. And I'll fill out a prescription order for meds that you'll need."

"Thanks, Jenny."

So, after that we set up my next appointment, which would be in a few months' time. And then I was out of there.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed! I know is was a different sort of chapter, with Ben just talking about his feelings, his problems and what not with a therapist, but I hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless! In my opinion, Ben needs someone to talk to with everything he goes through and it's a nice change of pace!

* Anyway, that's going to do it for this chapter. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 97): And another great chapter congrats it seems to me that it would be better Blue or Black cat with green eyes for Gwen But the white cat is also sweet Ooooo, I just got idea that her cat would not just be a ordinary cat just magical that would change into a big, powerful magic cat that would defend Gwen, and you could ride on it_

 _But only for enemies for friends would still be a sweet cat that would like to be butted her head against Gwen leg, and jump on Ben to lick his face ever after transformation. What do you think_

Thanks, Jason. Um, it's interesting, I'll say that. But I'm not sure if I really like it enough to make it happen. I'll give it some thought. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben's Team goes out to fight crime in the city before the have to go back to school, where they encounter something strange.


	24. Chapter 99: The Wolf Among Us

Chapter 99: The Wolf Among Us

 _ **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To The Loboan Creature, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter Ninety Nine!

* We're one chapter away from the big Chapter One Hundred and I have something planned, but my lips are sealed on what that is. We're on our way to a new story arc, that's all I'll say for now.

* Also, before we start, I just want to say that the chapter title is no doubt a reference to Telltale Games' (R.I.P. Telltale) The Wolf Among Us.

* But with that being said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

 _Ben_

I sat perched on the rooftop of a building. It was a peaceful evening, the snow had stopped for several days now, with no indication of it starting again. And so, that meant we were going back to school tomorrow. However, we wouldn't be going back for very long.

The Winter Solstice, the 21st, was on Thursday. We had four days back in session before we were released for Winter Break 2.0. I let out a sigh.

"So, yeah." I said out loud, not necessarily talking to anyone. "Winter Break 1.0 is over. School starts back up tomorrow."

 _I mean, it was an exciting enough break. We had a serial killer wreaking havoc in the city, Gwen and I broke up, I was banned from hero work, I slept with Julie (accidentally!), Gwen and I got back together, my baby sister was born, I was unbanned from hero work and I saw a doctor who specializes in troubled teens/troubled S.E.C.T. agents/troubled teen heroes/slash, slash, slash. So, yeah it was a fun break._ _That's total sarcasm, it was horrible. But here I am, just taking in the scenery of the city's nightlife._

I sighed and I couldn't help but say:

"What a peaceful, dull evening."

That's when I began to hear a bank alarm ringing in the distance.

"You just had to say something, didn't you?" I heard someone ask from behind me.

I looked up and over at my shoulder, to see Lucky Girl standing behind me, wearing her skintight leather costume.

"Yeah, I guess I did have to say something." I said.

"It sounds like an attempted bank robbery." She said.

"Yep."

"Don't you think we should check it out?"

I took out my phone and saw that it was nine thirty. I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

"We're almost to curfew, Lucky Girl." I said.

"So? Botching an attempted robbery shouldn't be too hard. Get there and get back before ten." She asked.

"We have to be home in half an hour."

"Your mom would be very disappointed if we didn't at least check it out."

I grunted with anger.

"Fine." I said at last.

I reached for my belt and pulled my walkie off of it. One of the other rules that Mom gave us is if that if one or some of us split from the main group, we needed to remain in constant communication. So, we were all bought walkie talkies and were instructed to carry them on our person at all times. I stood up as I brought the walkie close to my mouth.

"Albedo, are you there?" I asked.

I didn't get an answer.

"Albedo, hello?"

I still didn't get an answer.

"Hold on." I heard Lucky Girl say from behind me.

I turned around to see her pull her walkie from her utility belt.

"Albedo?" she spoke into the walkie.

There was still nothing on either of our ends. I let out a sigh.

"Albedo, will you just answer your walkie?" Lucky Girl asked with anger.

There was now static on the other end, before I heard Sunny's voice.

"Albedo can't come to the phone right now, he's… busy servicing me."

I just stood there in silence.

"Do I even want to know what that means?" I asked at last.

I didn't get an answer, and I heard a sound escape Sunny's end that I could only assume was her purring. I looked over at Lucky Girl, to see that she looked back at me, seeming equally disturbed. I snapped my head back to look at the walkie.

"Sunny, now isn't the time to be screwing around!" I exclaimed.

"Okay, fine!" I heard her say and I heard a grunt of pain in the background of her end.

"What is it?" Albedo asked, finally answering his walkie.

"We have a bank robbery in progress. After we check it out, we'll all head home."

Albedo sighed.

"Okay, fine. We heard the alarm, too. We'll head over there. See you soon?"

"Sure. Wait, if you heard the alarm, why didn't either of you respond? What were you doing?"

Albedo didn't answer for a minute.

"Nothing." He said after several seconds.

"Jesus Christ guys, if you're going to do naughty things, can you at least not do it when we're supposed to be patrolling?"

"Bite me!" Sunny exclaimed from her end.

I rolled my eyes before I put my walkie back on my belt. I turned to look back at Lucky Girl.

"Let's go."

I jumped from the roof and Lucky Girl did as well. As I swung with my wrist gauntlets, she ran beside me on platforms made of hot pink mana. I kept swinging in the direction of the alarm. After several minutes, Lucky Girl and I dropped into an alleyway, lit by dim lights mounted to the brick walls. She and I walked forward, further into the alley, as the sounds of the alarm grew louder.

"Where are the thieves?" Lucky Girl asked.

"What?" I whispered.

"The thieves! Shouldn't there be thugs out here? Loading cash or something?"

I hand to hand it to her, she was right.

 _Where were they? Had they all left already?_

We stopped walking.

"Ben, look!" Lucky Girl spoke my name in a hushed whisper, pointing across the alley.

I was about to scold her about using our real names, when I saw what she was pointing at. Sitting in a pile of trash bags by the dumpsters, were a few bodies. No, not bodies. I could have sworn one of them had moved. And they were in bad condition. They were bruised up, scarred and bloody.

"Are they dead?" she asked.

"No. No, I don't think so. I think they're still breathing."

"Who could have done this? Did Sunny and Albedo beat us here?"

"Maybe. But even so, this isn't their style."

Nevertheless, I took my walkie off my belt and spoke into it.

"Albedo, Sunny. Are you there?"

I only got static on the other end. I let out a sigh of irritation.

"Damn it."

I clipped my walkie back to my belt.

"No answer." I said, as I turned back to Lucky Girl.

Just then, two people landed behind us.

"Hey, what'd we miss?"

"Jesus!" I exclaimed, as I whipped around and got into a fighting stance, with Lucky Girl following my example.

I nearly hit Albedo in the face.

"Hey, man! Take a chill pill!" he said. "We just got here, and you're already trying to kill us? Chillax!"

"You seriously didn't just say "chillax"." Sunny said.

"Oh, I totally did."

I let out a sigh as I dropped out of my stance.

"Sorry." I said. "It's just that I think we have a problem."

"What problem?" he asked.

I turned and pointed to the pile of thugs by the dumpsters.

"Damn!" Albedo whispered as he approached them.

He bent down and inspected the bodies.

"Did you guys do this?" he finally asked.

"We didn't do it!" Lucky Girl and I said in unison.

"I don't get that violent." I said on my own.

Albedo stood back up.

"Sunny?" I asked.

"We didn't do it!" she and Albedo said in unison.

I didn't laugh, in fact, no one did. I looked all around us.

"Okay, well if you didn't do it, then who did?" I asked.

Before anyone could answer, I snapped my head up a little bit.

"What? Alien Guy, what is it?" Lucky Girl asked me.

"Shh." I said. "I hear something."

I focused my hearing a little more and I could hear the pitter-patter of running footsteps inside the bank.

"Keep running!" a male voice said. "Don't let it fucking catch you!"

Just then, a wooden door a few feet down from us in the alley burst open and a thug ran outside. Before the thug could even get anywhere, the wooden door shattered to pieces and he fell over. It took me a few seconds to realize what really had happened.

The door had shattered because the other thug had been thrown through it. And he had crashed right into the thug that had run out. And we were about to meet the thing responsible for it. We all stood motionless, staring intently at the broken door, waiting for something to happen.

And something did happen. A giant, hulking figure stepped out from the bank's back entry. I couldn't tell what any of its features were. The light was too dim for me to make anything out. It turned in our direction. None of us moved.

"Don't move." I whispered. "Maybe if we keep still it'll go away."

The thing just stood there, still looking in our direction. Eventually, I thought I saw it turn and begin walking away. I thought we were out of the woods, seeing as I had no intention of confronting it. And then Albedo went and ruined everything.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" he barked out in an angry tone. "You can't do that! This is _our_ job!"

The hulking figure gave off no indication that it heard Albedo.

"Cowabunga it is, then!" Albedo exclaimed as he ran forward.

"Albedo, don't!" I called out.

Albedo ignored me and kept running. He eventually reached the creature and prepared to attack, but the creature surprised us by whipping around and punching Albedo, sending him into a couple of trashcans.

"Impulsive whelp." I could have sworn I heard the creature speak in a deep tone of voice, too deep to be human.

"Albedo!" Sunny cried as she ran forward.

"Don't use real names!" I urged.

"Shut up!"

Albedo wasn't moving. He had been knocked out cold. I snapped my head to look at the creature.

"Hey, asshole! We're not through yet!" I exclaimed, as I ran forward. "Hey, no one gets to toss him around! Not even…"

The creature stepped into the dim light and I stopped speaking once I saw its face. In the dim light, I could make out all of its facial features. It had the face of a wolf. It had long, black hair and I could just barely see its fangs gleaming in the dim light. But the most off-putting feature was its eyes. It had glowing red eyes which I could feel staring into my soul. The beast was also massive. I mean, Albedo's Man-Wolf form was very large from what I recall.

But this thing, although maybe a bit smaller than Man-Wolf, was just as intimidating, if not more. And there was another thing I noticed. The longer I stared at it, the more I seemed to disconnect from reality. I felt numb, like I was losing all feeling in my body. It felt like my blood was beginning to boil. I heard a growl.

But it wasn't coming from the creature. The unnatural growl was growing in my throat. And that's the last thing I remember, before…

 _Gwen_

Alien Guy just stood there, staring up at the creature that Albedo had begun to fight. And then, within a flash it seemed, he transformed without even using the Omnitrix. He transformed into some kind of canine-alien creature, I guess? He transformed as he began roaring at the creature.

He now had pale gray fur, with black fur on his head, shoulders and sides. He also had a long tail composed of black fur. His pinkie fingers had disappeared and also, his ring and middle fingers merged, so he had three fingers on each hand, however his fingers appeared to resemble talons more than they did fingers. The creature didn't seem to be intimidated in the slightest.

Ben-Wolf, I'll just call him that, began to beat his chest and lunged forward to combat the creature. However, the creature effortlessly delivered an uppercut, sending Ben-Wolf through the air.

"Be…" I attempted to scream his name, but someone grabbed me from behind and put their hand over my mouth.

"He's right! We don't use our real names, Lucky Girl." Sunny whispered into my ear.

I pulled away with ease. I whipped around to look at her.

"Okay, okay, but Ben needs our help!" I whispered to her.

Sunny shook her head and pointed. I turned my head to see Ben-Wolf in a berserker rage, trying to combat the Wolf creature.

"Whatever that thing is, Ben isn't in there." She whispered. "I don't think he has control anymore."

Ben-Wolf sprinted up to the creature and successfully swiped it with his claws. However, the creature didn't give off any hint of it being wounded. Ben-Wolf proceeded to try to punch the creature, however it was faster. It caught Ben-Wolf's fist in its hand and then forcefully slugged Ben-Wolf in the face.

Ben-Wolf flew backwards into the wall.

"Shouldn't we try and help?" I asked.

"What can we do? Albedo's out cold and Alien Guy's getting his ass kicked." She said. "Do you honestly think that we have a better chance than him?"

I let out a huff of frustration.

"Well, if you don't want to try and help him, then I will!"

I tried to move forward, but she quickly grabbed my wrist.

"Oh no, my boyfriend is already incapacitated! I'm not losing my sister, too!"

Meanwhile, while Sunny and I were fighting, Ben-Wolf and the wolf creature continued to fight. Ben-Wolf lunged forward and pushed the creature to the ground. Ben-Wolf descended upon and punched the creature, but once again, it didn't seem phased at all. In fact, it sort of seemed like it was disappointed by the fight Ben-Wolf was putting up.

The creature used both legs to kick Ben-Wolf off of him. Ben-Wolf fell onto the ground, but he didn't stay there for very long. It quickly jumped up onto all fours and let out what could be described as a threatening snarl. Then, he jumped onto the wall and began to gracefully climb across it.

He seemed to be more agile than he should have been. He continued to climb along the wall, before coming to a stop. He hung off of the wall to look at the wolf creature, using three of his limbs to hang onto the wall. Then, I witnessed something a bit disturbing. Ben-Wolf's snout split four ways, so there were now four pieces of his snout, folded open.

And then, he uttered some kind of sonic screech. Sunny and I had to cover our ears as the screech engulfed the creature. Eventually he stopped screeching and I took my hands off of my ears. I stunned by what I saw. The creature was virtually unaffected. While the screech had hurt our ears, it seemed that the creature hadn't suffered anything from it.

"Impossible." I muttered.

Ben-Wolf leaped off the wall and tried to pin the creature but failed. The creature grabbed Ben-Wolf's arm out of the air and threw him into a brick wall, sending him through it. We saw a green flash from the inside of the building and eventually Ben walked back out, in his human form and with his mask missing.

Once he realized he didn't have his mask, he covered his face and for some reason, jumped over the creature's head and kicked off of the wall behind him, disappearing back into the building.

 _Ben_

I have no idea what happened. I have no idea how I'm even still alive! It was like I had just lost consciousness. As soon as I looked at the wolf creature, I lost myself. I have no idea what even happened. I came to lying in a pile of bricks. I sat up, before getting up. I walked out of the building through the hole in the wall, to see the wolf creature standing there.

It was just staring at me. I reached up and touched my mask, or my face rather. My mask was gone!

 _Shit!_

I quickly covered my face and somehow managed to jump over the creature. I landed on the wall behind him and kicked off of the wall, back towards the hole I had emerged from. I managed to find my mask lying in the room I had apparently busted into. I don't know how it had gotten there or why it was there.

I put my mask back on. I turned back around and ran back out to combat the creature. I jumped into the air and tried to kick him, but that's when my phone began to ring, giving off my ringtone, which was the theme for the 60's animated Spider-Man series.

No doubt it was Mom calling. The phone distracted me enough for the creature to surprise me. He quickly grabbed my leg and pulled me to the ground. I slammed into the ground and looked up at him with fear. To my surprise, he didn't attack anymore. It just stared down at me and I stared back up with fear.

"Don't get up, kid." The creature said in its deep voice. "If you try to attack me again, I won't stop this time. Do you understand?"

I didn't answer.

"Good. Glad we understand each other."

The creature turned around and walked away from us without another word. I let out a sigh as I rested my head against the ground. I heard footsteps and I looked up to see Lucky Girl approaching me. She kneeled down next to my side.

"Ben…" she said in a whisper.

I didn't even lecture her about my name.

"Lucky Girl, I'm alright."

She surprised me by putting her hands on my face and pulling my mask up to my nose. She then pressed her lips against mine and gently, but passionately kissed me. Eventually she pulled away from me and rested her head against my chest.

"I thought I was going to lose you." She whispered.

We remained there for a bit, before Sunny interrupted us.

"Guys, this isn't the time or the place for this."

I looked up at her as I pulled my mask back down.

"You're right." I said.

Lucky Girl stuck out her hand and helped me up as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I let out a sigh as I reached into my pocket to grab it. I pulled it out and looked at it, to see that I had one missed call from Mom and a text message from her. The text message said:

 _It's almost 10:00! Where are you guys?!_

"Mom isn't happy." I said. "We have to get home."

"What about Albedo?" Sunny asked.

"I'll use Stinkfly to fly him home." I said as I dialed up the Omnitrix.

I began moving the ring around, going through the alien silhouettes. I stopped once I saw something. I saw a silhouette I had never seen before. Lucky Girl seemed to notice my confusion and she looked as well.

"What is it?"

"I have no idea."

She looked closer at the Omnitrix.

"I recognize that outline." She said. "It looks like the creature you turned into."

I looked at her with confusion.

"Creature?"

"Yeah, you turned into a wolf creature just now. After you stared at that thing for a few seconds, you transformed."

I wrinkled my forehead underneath my mask.

 _Wolf creature. Wolf creature? Why did that sound so familiar? I did something similar while we were being held captive by the Forever Knights, didn't I? Or did I not?_

"Ben?" she whispered my name with concern.

I looked back at her.

"I don't know." I finally said.

"You don't know what?"

"I don't know what to think of it."

I turned back to the Omnitrix without another word. I moved the ring until I saw Stinkfly's silhouette. I slammed the ring down and once I transformed, I looked at them both.

"Get him onto my back." I commanded.

 _The Tennyson House_

 _Twenty Minutes Later_

It took us a while to get home and we all slipped in through my old bedroom window, with Albedo now being conscious. We hadn't been able to even leave the room, before the door open and Mom walked in with an angry look on her face.

"Where. Have. You. Been?!" she exclaimed as she ripped off my mask. "Why didn't you answer your phone!"

I was slightly offended.

"We were out fighting…"

"Why didn't you answer your phone?!" she interrupted me.

"We ran into something we had never seen before. Something…"

"I really thought that something had happened to you! I thought that you were lying dead in a ditch or something!"

"We were fighting something that we had never…"

"Don't interrupt me!"

She stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. I had no idea how she was able to allow me to continue doing hero work. This job wasn't safe most of the time. I had her gasp a little bit and I imagined that she must have been using all of her will power to hold back her tears. She eventually pulled away and wiped her eyes, even though there were no tears.

"Alright. You're grounded." She said. "Again."

My eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said. You're all grounded. No superhero work until Christmas Break starts."

I just scratched my head, not having a response.

"Aunt Sandra, it wasn't his fault!" Gwen spoke. "There was a bank robbery right before our curfew started and I thought you'd want us to check it out! That's where we…"

Mom snapped her head in her direction.

"Don't stand up and take responsibility for his mistakes, Gwen. He knew what he was doing when he decided to "check out" the bank."

Gwen and I exchanged glances. Mom finally sighed.

"Alright. Everyone get out of your _costumes_ ," she said, cringing at the word in question. "And wash up. It's a school night. You should have been in bed an hour ago."

Gwen sighed and took off her belt, reverting her black hair and blue eyes back to the normal red and green.

"Alright. Good night, Aunt Sandra." She said as she walked past.

Mom narrowed her eyes as she continued to look at me.

"You three, too. Bedtime."

She turned around and walked towards the open door. She turned back around to face us before leaving the room.

"You have five minutes. After that, don't let me catch any of you out of bed."

She turned back around and left the room. I sighed.

"Good night guys." I said as I walked out the door.

 _Later_

Gwen and I laid next to each other in bed.

"Ben?" she whispered my name.

I only nodded, not saying a word.

"We should really talk about what happened tonight."

I shook my head.

"Not tonight. I just want to sleep."

"But you transformed into something! We should talk about that!"

I let out a sigh as I rolled over, facing away from her.

"I don't feel like talking." I mumbled.

Gwen didn't say anything after that. I let out a sigh and turned off the light.

"Well, good night then." She spoke at last.

"Yep." I replied.

I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to take me.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's the chapter for today! I hope you all enjoyed!

* Next chapter, we'll be getting back to story arcs! Stay tuned! I'm going to go though, so have Bwen-tastic day and bye!

* And special thanks to annihalator2015 for beta reading this!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Car45 (Chapter 98): An interesting chapter. It will be interesting to see if any of the doctors diagnosis is correct. And to see what director Steel is going to want._

Thanks, Car. I'm glad that you think the chapter was interesting. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 98): And another great chapter congrats It's just an idea, you do not have to use it if you do not want to But thanks for considering it. BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. You don't have to thank me for considering it. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben has reoccurring nightmares before school. Ben begins to change, most notably with his anger. Ben encounters a new student at school.


	25. Chapter 100: Switched: Part 1

Chapter 100: Switched: Part One

 _ **Disclaimer: I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred! Yes, friends, we've hit the hundredth chapter of the story!

* I just want to take a second. I want to take a second and recognize the popularity this series has picked up. This series has gotten 147,896 total views, 351 total reviews, 381 favorites and 392 followers. That's just astonishing to me. It's astonishing that a story like this can get so much attention. Without all of you readers, this story would be irrelevant. I will never be able to thank you guys enough but thank you for making it possible to make it here!

* So, this chapter is for you fine folks. Also, special notice to annihalator2015 at the end of the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _The Tennyson House_

 _Ben_

I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling really thirsty. I walked out into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I took out a bottle of Gatorade and opened it. I began to drink it as I closed the fridge. As I closed the door and looked towards the kitchen table, I saw something that made it feel like my eyes bulged from their sockets.

I saw Clancy, just standing there beside the fridge. He had been blocked from my sight by the refrigerator door. I just stood there, refusing to speak and my eyes wide open with surprise. I struggled to speak as we continued to stare at each other.

"Wha… How…?" Was the only thing that I could mutter.

He didn't say anything. All he did was open his mouth, he opened it wider than I thought was possible. And then, dozens upon dozens of Black Widow spiders began to flood out of his mouth and onto the floor and his skin. I opened my mouth as well, and screamed, not knowing what else to do.

…

I sat up in bed with a flash, breathing heavily from the nightmare I just had. I felt my face and noticed that it was surprisingly dry, for having just suffered a nightmare that felt horrifyingly real.

I looked over at Gwen, who was still sound asleep next to me. I reached and gently touched her shoulder. She stirred a bit but didn't wake up. All of a sudden, a cold and threatening voice shattered the silence in the room.

"You haven't forgotten about me, have you, boy?"

I snapped my head in the direction of the voice, to see a dark figure in the corner of the room. The figure stood up and walked over to me. It was Clancy, no doubt. But how did he get out of prison? I tried to move but was surprised to find that I couldn't. I was frozen!

"I just want you to know before I do this, that I've waited a long time for this moment to come."

I was finally able to choke out some words of fear.

"Wha… What?"

Clancy didn't say anything else, as he stepped forward and put his fist through my chest. No, he literally put his fist through my chest!

"Your time has come." He whispered into my ear.

I felt his fist breach the flesh of my back, but surprisingly, I didn't feel any pain. I just felt really cold. Waves of cold washed over me as I felt blood drip from my lips.

"Go to sleep, little one." He whispered to me once more.

I felt his hands move up to my head and I felt him began to twist.

…

I bolted upwards in bed, after having another nightmare. My chest heaved up and down, as I struggled to catch my breath. I felt my face and noticed that I was drenched in a cold sweat. I looked over at Gwen and noticed she was sound asleep. I sighed and tried to catch my breath.

I looked over to the corner of the room and I could almost feel my heart leap into my throat when I saw it. A shadowy figure was standing there.

"No!" I gasped as I flicked on the light out of fear.

It was nothing. It was just the chair that I had draped my costume over before going to sleep. Gwen stirred next to me and rolled over, but she didn't wake up. I let out a sigh of relief, glad to know that this wasn't another nightmare. I heard a meow next to me and I turned my head. Snowball padded over to me and sat down as she stared up at me.

I let out a sigh as I reached forward and lightly scratched behind her ear. She meowed happily before flopping down onto her side and snuggling up against Gwen. I let out a light chuckle as I slowly threw the covers off of me. I got up and left the room, flicking the light off as I did. I walked across the hall and entered the bathroom, turning on the light and closing the door behind me.

I turned on the water to cold and cupped my hands underneath the stream, allowing it to pool in my hands. I splashed the water onto my face, washing the cold sweat away. Once I felt better, I shut off the faucet and grabbed a towel to dry my face off. As I dried off, I heard an eerie voice behind me.

"Ben."

I looked up, to see Clancy standing behind me in the mirror. I jumped and hit the cupboard. I turned around, ready to attack, only to see that he wasn't there. I took a deep breath once I realized that I was alone. I sat down on the floor, trying to figure out what was going on.

 _It seems to me that you are suffering from PTSD,_ Doctor Nocturne's voice rang in my head.

I got back up from the floor and left the room, shutting off the light as I did. I walked back into the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I picked up my phone off of the nightstand and gazed at it. It was four o'clock in the morning.

"Jesus." I muttered as I laid it back down. "I'm only gonna have another hour or so to sleep."

I laid down on the bed and pulled the comforter back up. Eventually I closed my eyes and tried to get to sleep.

 _Three Hours Later_

"Ben." I heard Albedo's voice.

"Nng." I grunted, still half asleep.

"Ben."

"Albedo, go away." I finally grunted a response.

"Ben!" he shouted my name this time.

I sprang up in bed with shock. I eventually looked at Albedo.

"What are you doing, why have you been sleeping for so long? Mom has been trying to get you up for the last hour!"

I just stared at him with confusion.

"Um, what?"

"We're about to be late for school, bro!"

I looked over at my phone to check the time. I was shocked to see that the clock read seven! School starts in half an hour! I looked back up at Albedo.

"What? How…?"

He put his hands on my shoulders and began to shake me.

"Now's not the time to ask questions, Ben! You better get a move on!"

Suddenly. I felt angry. Like, really angry.

"Get off me!" I exclaimed as I pushed Albedo off and against the closet door.

He looked back at me with surprise as I got off the bed and left the room.

 _Ten Minutes Later_

I stood in the bathroom, with my hands tightly grasping the sink as I stared into the mirror.

"Dad said that he heard a commotion in here at four this morning." I heard Mom's voice.

I turned my head to see her standing in the doorway.

"What was it?"

"I had a couple of nightmares. I thought I saw the Infinity Killer in the mirror. I didn't."

She was silent for a few seconds.

"Have you taken your meds?"

I shook my head.

"No."

"Why not?"

I didn't answer. She stepped further into the room and placed a small canister of pills on the sink.

"Take your meds. You need them."

She walked out of the bathroom after that. Once I knew she was gone, I picked up the canister.

"Who needs 'em?" I asked as I tossed it over my shoulder.

 _Madison High School_

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

I walked through the halls of Madison High, five minutes before first period was scheduled to start. Apparently, Gwen and Sunny were already here and Albedo stayed behind to make sure that I woke up, seeing as Mom had to deal with Verdona. Gwen ran up next to me as I walked down the hall. Before she could even speak, I scowled.

"Ugh, what do you want?" I asked.

She looked at me with surprise, also looking offended.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Out with it. What's so important that you have to interrupt me?"

She frowned at me.

"You're a jerk!" she finally exclaimed as she turned and attempted to walk away.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, Doll!" I said as I reached out and grabbed her arm. "What did you want to tell me?"

She whipped around and slapped my hand away. She put her hands on her hips before speaking.

"Well for your information, I was going to tell you that Principal Hannigan wants to see you, but then you started being an ass!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry!"

She narrowed her eyes but before she could respond, the intercom came on.

"Attention Madison High School, this is your principal. I'd like to see the following students in my office as soon as possible: Albedo Tennyson, Ben Tennyson, Gwen Tennyson and Sunny Tennyson. Thank you."

I looked at her.

"Apparently, I'm not the only one he wants to see. Let's go."

"But what about class?" she asked, catching up with me as I began to walk off.

"Eh, he'll fill out a pass for us, so we won't be counted tardy."

She didn't say anything else after that.

 _Five Minutes Later_

We all met up at the front office of the high school and we went in. I guess since Gwen knew how I had been treating her, she didn't want me to speak.

"Hi, we're here to see Principal Hannigan."

"Go ahead back, he's expecting you."

I walked past without a word. Gwen ran to catch up with me.

"Ben, we should talk about your transformation…"

"No."

"Then what about the fact that you didn't have your mask on when you reverted back?" she whispered. "What if someone saw you?"

"Don't worry." I whispered. "No one did."

The open door to Hannigan's office came into view. We turned and walked into the room, to see Hannigan turned away from us in his chair, with his feet on his desk. He was watching T.V. and what I saw terrified me. The T.V. was showing my fight with the wolf creature last night, while I was flipping around mask-less. The camera had a great view of my face.

"Oh, yeah?" Albedo asked. "What would you call that?!"

Principal Hannigan spun his chair to face us. However, the man wasn't Principal Hannigan. It was Director Steel!

"Damn good television." He answered for me.

"Um, what?" I asked. "What is going on here?"

He stood up from the chair.

"Close the door, children." He said.

Hearing him say that pissed me off more than it should have.

"Children? How dare you!" I said as I stepped forward. "I'm eighteen years old! I'm an adult!"

"Close. The. Door." He said again.

Something told me he was using all of his willpower not to scream at me. Albedo backed up and closed the door to the office. Director Steel heaved a sigh.

"You children really need to be more careful."

I gritted my teeth, as a growl rumbled in my throat.

"Ben, can you calm down for five minutes?" Gwen asked.

"Bite me."

"Um, excuse me? Who do you think you're talking to?!"

I ignored her. Director Steel cleared his throat. We all turned back to look at him.

"This is the footage that was captured last night." He replied as he pointed to the T.V.

He picked up the remote and pressed a button. This time, the same footage played, only it had been edited, as I had blonde hair instead of brown.

"And this is the footage that will actually be aired."

I turned to look at him.

"How?" I asked.

"We intercepted the footage before it could be uploaded." He said. "You're some of the first people to see this."

He moved to the T.V. and ejected a cd from it. He turned back to look at us.

"Look, so I was able to alter the footage this time, so people may find it harder to identify you, but you guys really need to start wearing masks. Like, all of you."

"I lost my mask!" I exclaimed with anger.

"I was out cold!" Albedo replied.

Director Steel put up his hands.

"But I may not be able to help next time. Hence why you guys need to be more careful."

We all exchanged glances. He sighed.

"Alright, alright. We're done here. That's all."

He stepped forward.

"But as for you, Benjamin, in case you ever need another favor." He spoke as he pulled out a card. "Here's my card."

I took it from him.

"Why would I want your card?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"I have to keep an eye on you kids somehow." He said. "Well, we're done here. Be more careful and you guys can go back to class."

"Principal Hannigan said he wanted to see us." Gwen replied.

"Oh, yeah. I convinced the old man to leave the office so I could speak with you guys privately. And I need to keep an eye on you kids."

He began to walk to the door, but Gwen spoke up.

"Wait, class has already started! If we don't get a pass back to class, we'll be counted tardy!"

Director Steel didn't even turn around.

"Sorry kiddo, not my problem. Take it up with one of the ladies up front."

After that, he walked out the door.

"Leaves us without as much as an escort back to class." I said. "What a dick."

I looked down at the card, to see the name: Special Extra-Terrestrial Containment Team on the top of the card, Director Steel's name below that, and below that, a phone number. I furrowed my eye brows with confusion.

 _S.E.C.T. is supposed to be a secret organization. So, why in the fuck would he hand out cards with names and phone numbers?!_

"Go easy on him. He's not a teacher." Albedo said.

I turned to look at him.

"Since when are you acting so sensible?" I snapped.

He looked back at me with confusion.

"Dude, what's gotten into you today?"

I snickered as I walked past him.

"Come on, guys." I said as I put the card in my pocket. "Let's go to class."

"Hey, I'm not done talking to you, Ben!"

I ignored him. I walked back into the main office and up to the reception desk. I was about to open my mouth to speak, but I guess Gwen decided to speak for me after I'd been acting today.

"Hi, we need a pass to first period."

"Just a second." The receptionist spoke.

She picked up a pad of paper and began asking us for our names. Once she asked for my name, I ignored her.

"Hey, kid! What's your name?" she exclaimed.

I continued to ignore her. Gwen turned to look at me.

"Answer her!"

I ignored her as well. She let out a huff of frustration and turned back around.

"His name is Ben Tennyson." She said. "I guess he's not speaking today."

The receptionist sighed and looked down to finish filling out the pass. She handed us one each and sent us on our way.

 _One Hour Later_

I walked into my second period class, to that Gwen was already here. So, when Mom and Dad enrolled Albedo and Sunny into our school, they made sure that we all had the same schedule, that way we could keep track of each other.

We usually all walked to our classes together. However, that didn't mean that we always walked to classes together. Sometimes, we would go off on our own or in small groups. Today, I went off on my own after first period. I walked over and took my seat across the room from her. Unfortunately, as I sat down Danielle walked into the room.

Danielle is your stereotypical popular girl. She had a constant belief that no matter what was going on in your life, good day or bad day, you had to devote all your time to her. She was the "Queen Bee", as she said it. She was very much like Kai, actually. The only difference is that Danielle was Caucasian, I guess.

And as usual, she was bugging Gwen. Here's the thing: It was no secret that Danielle had a massive crush on me. She wanted me all to herself. She thought that she was better than Gwen in every way. I continued to listen to her berate Gwen over and over again.

"So, how does your relationship with Ben work?" she asked.

Gwen ignored her, looking away from her.

"Are you good enough for him?"

 _Good enough for him? Don't tell me that she's heading in that direction!_

"Can you… satisfy… him?"

Gwen's face began to turn red, as she kept looking away from her. Danielle kneeled close to Gwen and whispered something into her ear. Gwen immediately snapped her head in Danielle's direction.

"Why would I tell you that?!"

"Because, I want to know. And I'm more important than you. So, you owe it to me."

"I don't owe you anything! And I don't care if you have a crush on him! I'd never tell you about that!"

"Well, you're going to. Because, I want to know!"

"Stay out of it!"

"Tell me."

"No!"

"Tell me."

"No!"

I slammed my hands over my ears to try to drown out the noise, but it didn't work. I could still hear the voices. I took my hands away.

"Shut up!" I exclaimed.

The entire classroom went silent as everyone looked at me. I got up from my seat and walked over to Gwen and Danielle.

"Leave her alone." I said.

"Aw, if it isn't Ben, coming to save his girlfriend." She said in a mocking tone.

"I'm serious, leave her alone."

"And what will you do if I don't?"

"If you don't leave her alone, you'll answer to me."

Danielle smirked and rolled her eyes. She reached out and put her hand on my chest.

"Ben, baby, do you seriously think that you can intimidate me?"

I smacked her hand away.

"Don't touch me. And don't call me "baby". Ever."

She ignored me.

"Baby, don't you think that you'd be much better off with me?"

I didn't like that she said that and no doubt, Gwen didn't like it either. Danielle leaned closer and began whispering into my ear.

"I'll bet I can satisfy you better than she ever could!"

My face turned red as I pushed her away. I turned my head and saw Albedo, to see that his face was red, too.

 _Had he somehow heard that?_

I turned back to Danielle.

"Okay, I warned you." I replied.

"Say what?"

I was about to say something that I probably shouldn't. But you know what? I just didn't care.

"Danielle, I want to let you in on a little secret. We all know that you were the victim of abuse when you were a kid."

Her face went pale.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked. "I don't know what…"

I interrupted her.

"But that doesn't give you the right to parade around the school like a stuck-up bitch, telling people that you are more important than them and just disregarding every other student here."

Danielle was without words. She just stared at me with a pale face.

"And I would honestly feel sorry for you, but after all you've said to her, after the way you treat everyone in this school, why would anyone feel sorry for someone like you?"

She just stared back at me. Tears began to run down her face. Then, she put her hands over her eyes, pushed past me and ran out of the room, bawling her eyes out the whole way. I watched her go, with a grin on my face. I walked over to my desk and collected my things, suddenly not wanting to be here anymore.

I put my backpack on and grabbed my notebook, before turning around to walk to the door. Cash just looked at me with awe as I walked towards the door.

"Dude, that was awesome!" he said as he lifted up his hand for a high five. "Who's the man?"

Without even thinking, I lifted my notebook and slapped him across the face with it on my way out.

 _I'm the fucking man,_ I thought.

 _Albedo_

I watched with awe and confusion as Ben hit Cash in the face with his notebook. Ben left the classroom without another word. I ran over to Cash, who had fallen to the ground. I helped him up.

"Dude, are you okay?" I asked.

"He is very good boy." He said, surprisingly not sounding upset. "He must be in some kind of trouble."

"Yes." I said as I looked up at the doorway. "Yes, he is."

 _Ben_

 _Five Minutes Later_

I walked down the hallway, when I heard a commotion. I turned my head, to see a guy by a row of lockers, being picked on by two kids.

"Come on, just hand over your lunch money and this all goes away!" one of them said.

"Yeah, we have to collect our tax!" the other said.

"I have a better idea. Either you goons back off, or I'll show you just how painful it is to have your arms dislocated and broken in several places afterwards." The guy said. "Unless you'd like to experience a compound fracture instead?"

The bullies went silent for a few seconds, before the roared with laughter.

"Who do you think you're talking to, kid? Do you seriously think that you can scare us away?" one of them asked as they stopped laughing. "Now hurry up and hand over your…"

I was sick of hearing the bullies talk. I walked up to them and proceeded to grab both their heads, then pulling them together, so their heads collided. Both of them exclaimed in pain, before turning to look at me.

"There's more where that came from if you two don't back off!" I exclaimed, getting into a fighting stance.

"Why should we back off?" one of them asked.

My face turned red with anger.

"Because if you don't, I will personally park my foot up your ass!" I exclaimed. "Now scram!"

Both of the bullies exchanged glances and grinned. They looked back at me.

"I'd honestly like to see you…" he began to speak, but I punched him in the face.

I sent him into the locker behind him. The other one looked at me with surprise.

"Do you want one, too?"

He shook his head.

"Then I suggest you scram, both of you!"

The bully I knocked into the locker got up and took off with his buddy. I turned to regard the guy that they were picking on. He had shaggy, course brown hair and blue eyes. He had an average skin tone, I guess. He also had a lean, muscular figure. As for what he was wearing, he wore jeans and a black leather jacket. He was also wearing black sneakers. He also seemed to be looking me up and down. He spoke first.

"Not to be rude and I'm not saying that I don't appreciate it, but I could have handled it myself."

He spoke with a sort of dangerous tone. I wasn't fazed at all. I also noticed that he had a bit of Scottish accent. It was a strong one, but also noticeably light, I guess?

"No problem." I said. "Who were they?"

"How should I know?" he asked in return.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new here?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, I just transferred here. Today's my first day. My name's Nathan."

"Cool. Name's Ben. Pleasure to meet you and all that, I'm sure you feel the same." I said I as I turned and began to walk away. "Also, welcome to Madison. It's a dump."

"Oh, um, thanks?" he called out to me as I walked off.

"What?" I asked as I turned my head. "Oh, uh, sure. Whatever."

 _Five Minutes Later_

I was heading towards the school's east exit, I was about to reach the door, when a voice called out from behind me.

"Hey, stop! What do you think you're doing?!"

I turned around to see Albedo walking up to me.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I asked. "I'm going home!"

"What? You can't go home!"

"Um, I can't? Watch me."

I turned back around and put my hand on the door, about to open it.

"If you leave, you'll get in trouble!"

I turned back around.

"You think I don't know that?!"

"Well, if you do know it, then why not just come back to class? Let's talk about what's got you so pissed off?"

I scoffed.

"Albedo, I don't give a shit about getting in trouble! I don't even want to be here! And since when do you act so concerned? Why are you so calm?"

"Um, I…"

"Forgot I asked." I interrupted.

I turned back around and opened the door.

"Ben, I'm being serious! You shouldn't do this!"

"Don't care. Go cry to Gwen or Sunny, maybe they'll care."

I walked out of the school and disregarded the consequences.

 _Author's Note:_

* So, that's Chapter 100!

* Why do you think that Ben is being such a dick? Did Danielle deserve how Ben spoke to her? What do you think of the new character, Nathan? Let me know in reviews and PMs!

* Also, special thanks to annihalator2015 for beta reading this! And not only that, we've been talking about introducing Nathan into the story for quite a while now, so thanks for putting up with me for so long and waiting quite a while to see him introduced! I appreciate the time you gave me!

* With that said, I'm going to go. So, have a Bwen-tastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 99): And another great chapter Gwen and Sunny could help Ben fight this monster. For example, If Ben tried to attack, Gwen and Sunny could distract the monster just before Ben hit the monster You know, fire support BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. No, I understand what you're getting at. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben faces difficulties with his family as his anger worsens. Ben starts to cut class.


	26. Chapter 101: Switched: Part 2

Chapter 101: Switched: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and One!

* I hope you all are enjoying the new story arc so far. I can't really say anything, so let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Bellwood Suburbs_

 _Ben_

I walked down the sidewalk towards the clubhouse. I needed to blow off some steam after the hell that occurred at school. Eventually I reached the clubhouse and walked up to the door. I took off my backpack and unzipped it, before putting my hand inside, searching around for the key. Once I found it, I took it out and unlocked the door.

I walked in, closed the door behind me and tossed my backpack across the room. I let out a sigh as I stepped forward to the stereo. I put in a Beatles CD and turned the volume up. I walked across the room as I took my jacket off. I was going to start with the weights and then move to the punching bag.

 _A Few Hours Later_

After a few hours of working out, I decided to take a break. So, I turned on the T.V. I flipped through the channels and eventually came to stop on a news cast reporting on a bank robbery in progress. I had to do something. But I was grounded. Could I really do anything?

"Eh, it's worth the risk." I finally said.

I grabbed my things, before moving to leave the clubhouse.

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I slowly crept around the back of the house. Seeing as Mom was home on maternity leave for a few months, I had to be quiet. I quietly opened the window to my old room and slipped inside. I quietly moved over to the door, pressed my ear up against it and began to listen. I heard footsteps walk past the door, so I waited a few seconds before opening the door.

I slowly peeked my head outside of the room, to see Mom walking down the hall with her back to me. I quickly and quietly left the room, moving to our bedroom. I silently opened the door and slipped inside, quietly shutting the door behind me.

I moved over to the chair in the corner where my costume still sat from last night. I quietly dropped my bag and began to undress to put my costume on.

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I arrived on the scene of the bank robbery and wasted no time in getting to work.

 _Who attempts to rob a bank in broad daylight?_

Before I left the house, I snuck into Mom and Dad's bedroom and found my batons. Don't even ask how I managed to get out of there without Mom noticing that I was home. I swung down to the doors of the bank.

I ran inside and saw who was causing the trouble. And was it? Why, it was Gorvan, of course. And he wasn't alone. He had his own group of thugs. I don't even know how he managed to accumulate a group. He was a fucking midget! I walked up to his group as I unsheathed my batons. I walked up to one of the thugs that hadn't noticed me yet and whacked him on the shoulder.

He let out a scream and whirled around. Before he could move, I whacked him again in the face, which got Gorvan's attention.

"Why is it always you?!" he exclaimed. "Why do you have to always be in my business?!"

"Why can't you fucking stay locked up?!" I asked as I approached him.

He didn't say anything else, but he signaled for his thugs to attack. They didn't stand a chance. Each one that reached me received one or more blows from my batons. One of the thugs that approached got hit in the knee, then in the jaw, sending blood and a few teeth flying.

 _If Mom could see me now…_

I continued beating the thugs, much to Gorvan's dismay.

"You're not hitting him right!" he exclaimed. "Come on, put your backs into it!"

I threw a thug over my shoulder.

"I'm coming for you next, Gorvan!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm counting on it, my friend." He said as he jumped over a desk. "Catch me if you can!"

I continued fighting his group of thugs. There were about eight of them. And again, I had no idea how he had managed to get a group this big, let alone one at all. I wrapped up the fight by whacking one of his lackeys in the jaw. Once all of his thugs were on the ground and not moving, I took off.

I jumped over the desk and went looking for Gorvan. I walked further into the employees only area. Eventually, after a minute or so of looking, I found him trying to break into the bank's vault.

"Do you ever stop to consider how fucking stupid you are?" I asked.

He stopped what he was doing.

"I stop to consider that this is my lucky day. Now why don't you scram so I can finish up here?"

"How about I stay and put you in the hospital?"

"Persistent, aren't you?" he asked as he went back to trying to get the vault open.

"I'm a lot of things. Now, let's wrap this up. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I prefer the hard way."

Gorvan didn't move a muscle as he continue trying to break into the vault.

"The hard way it is, then." I said as I approached him.

 _Five Minutes Later_

I dragged Gorvan out of the bank, who had been beaten into unconsciousness. His body was bruised and bloody in a few places. I dropped him on the ground and fired my wrist gauntlet and proceeded to swing away from the crime scene.

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I slipped into my old room through the window. I let out a quiet sigh as I pulled off my mask. Just then, the light in the room turned on. I turned to look at the light switch, to see Mom standing by the door, cradling Verdona in her arms. I was about to speak, when she put a finger on her lips.

"Shh, don't wake the baby." She said as she turned. "Get out of that costume and come see me in the living room."

She walked out of the room, towards the living room. It disturbed me how calm she was. That made me know that I was in trouble. But I didn't care. After I had taken off my costume and gotten back into my day clothes, I left my bedroom and walked into the living room.

"Well?" I asked.

"Sit down." She said as she laid Verdona down in her bassinette.

I did as she said, and she sat down as well. She took a deep breath, before she looked back at me with an angry look.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?"

"What did I do?" I asked.

She didn't like my response.

"What did we talk about last night?" she said in an angry tone as she stood up from the couch.

I shrugged.

"I want an answer, Benjamin!"

"Well, then tell me." I said. "What did we talk about last night?"

Mom's face turned red from her anger.

"We talked about the fact that you're grounded from hero work!" she said. "And what were you doing with those batons?! You're not supposed to be using them!"

"I don't have to listen to you." I retaliated.

Mom just looked at me with a shocked and angry expression.

"Who said that?!"

"No one." I said as I got up. "But I don't feel like doing what you tell me right now."

"You don't feel like… Hey, sit back down!"

I ignored her as I moved towards the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

I didn't turn around to look at her.

"I don't feel like having this conversation right now." I said. "I'll be back when you decide to be a little more reasonable about this."

"More reasonable?" she asked, still in an angry tone.

I walked out the door and shut it behind me before she could say anything else.

 _A Few Hours Later_

 _The Clubhouse_

I had been chilling at the clubhouse for a few hours after leaving the house. I was lying on the couch, just trying to relax. All of a sudden, the door to the clubhouse opened. I sat up and looked over the back of the couch, to see Albedo walking into the clubhouse. He was by himself.

"Thought I'd find you here." He said as he closed the door behind him.

I sighed as I laid back down.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He walked over to the couch and sat down on the arm of the couch.

"I just want to know what's wrong with you." He said.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Albedo." I said. "I'm fine."

"And yet you left before second period even started today." He said.

"So, what?" I asked.

"So, that's not normal."

"Cry me a river. And since when are you acting concerned?"

"You're my brother! I have a right to be concerned!"

"Uh-huh."

"You're an asshole."

"So? I've always been an asshole, Albedo. What else is new?"

"I want you to come home with me. You shouldn't be out here all by yourself."

"Is Mom still mad?"

"What? Of course, she's still mad! You cut classes _and_ you disrespected her!"

"Then no way, I'm not going back home with you."

"You have to!"

"Like hell, I do!"

Albedo stood there in silence for a minute or two. He let out a sigh as he got off of the arm of the couch.

"Okay." He said as he grabbed hold of my shoulder. "I guess if you won't come with me, I'll have to drag you back."

And he did just that. He dragged me right off of the couch.

"Come on, it's time to go home."

"Let me go! Get the fuck off of me!"

"Ben, come on! You need to calm down!"

"I am calm, Albedo!"

"Dude, I know what calm looks like! And that isn't calm!"

"Let go!"

Albedo stopped talking at this point and continued dragging me across the floor with no words to me whatsoever. I let out a sigh and stopped struggling. I was helpless. There was no way I was getting out of this. I wasn't happy about this and if I really wanted to, I could have easily fought my way out of it, but I decided not to.

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

Albedo eventually dragged me all the way back home. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of me playing along and agreeing to walk back with him. If he wanted to get me back there, he would have to drag me. And he did just that. At this moment, I was sitting on the couch as Dad stared down at me with his hand on his forehead. He let out an angered sigh.

"You cut your classes _and_ you went against your mother's orders and used those damn batons." He said. "What do you have to say for yourself, Benjamin?"

I said nothing.

"Speak when you're spoken to, young man!"

I looked up at him with an angry gaze.

"I don't know! What do you want me to say?!"

That didn't help his current mood.

"You skipped classes and probably put a few people into the hospital! Do you not care? Do you show no remorse?"

I shrugged.

"Why should I? I'm smarter than half of the boneheads there and those thugs deserved every bit of what was coming to them!"

Dad's face was growing red at this point.

"What has gotten into you?! You have never been like this!"

"I've never been like what? I'm me!"

He slapped his hand against his forehead.

"Benjamin, you have to answer for what you've done!"

"What have I done? I've done nothing wrong!"

"Yes, you have!"

"According to you!"

Dad got so angry at this point that he drove his fist into the wall.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, you just go to your room! I don't want to see you for the rest of the night!"

I got up from the couch.

"Whatever!"

I walked towards the hall and as I was about to reach my room, Albedo stepped out from the bathroom and bumped into me. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"Get the hell out of my way!"

"Watch your God damn mouth, young man!" Dad exclaimed from behind me.

I ignored him, opened the door to my room and walked in. Gwen was sitting on the bed, playing with Snowball. Snowball was swiping at a purple ball of Anodite energy that Gwen had made out of thin air. I slammed the door shut behind me, causing Snowball to quickly flee from my sight. Gwen looked over at me with an angered look on her face. I just stared back at her.

"What?" I asked in an emotionless voice.

"Why'd you go and do that for?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I was playing with Snowball! Why did you scare her?"

I just shrugged again.

"Will you coax her out from under the bed?"

I slowly got onto my knees in front of the bed and bent down to look under the bed. I saw Snowball resting on all four paws, in a stance that suggested she was about to lunge forward. As soon as I made eye contact with her, she backed up a bit, as if she were afraid of me.

And when I reached out to her, she narrowed her eyes and hissed at me in response. As I saw this, I retracted my hand. I attempted to lull her out again, only for her to hiss again and when I failed to retract my hand, she scratched me.

"Ow! God damn it!" I exclaimed with frustration.

"Ben, just get up here." Gwen replied angrily. "It's obvious that she doesn't want to see you right now."

"Fine." I muttered as I stood up and sat down on the bed next to Gwen.

For a while, we sat next to each other in silence.

"Look," she finally spoke, breaking the silence. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but you better get your shit together, Ben."

I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Nothings gotten into me, baby!" I replied.

Gwen's entire form went as stiff as a board.

"T-Take your hand off of me." She whispered.

I looked at her with surprise.

"What?" I asked.

"Get your hand off of me."

"Why?"

"Because I told you to. And because I don't like how you're conducting yourself."

My grip on her shoulder tightened.

"Oh, come on, Gwen! Don't be such a..."

She shuddered before speaking once more.

"Whatever you're about to say, stop it. Please, just take your hand off of me."

See, that was the problem. On any other day, I would have listened. But today, _today_ , something had changed. And I wasn't having it.

"No."

Gwen didn't move an inch, nor did she say anything. I leaned in towards her neck, my lips just hovering above her skin. As I breathed, she shuddered once more.

"Ben, I'm warning you."

Her voice was no more than a hushed whisper. I just grinned as I refused to back off.

"Oh, you're warning me? I'm so s..."

That's when Gwen lost it. I felt a burning sensation shoot up my arm as she bit into my hand, biting down as hard as she could. I gritted my teeth in pain as I tried to pull my hand away, but she wasn't letting go. I got up from the bed and pulled hard on my hand, only causing her to bite down harder.

"God damn it, let go!" I said through gritted teeth.

She finally did just that. She opened her mouth and I pulled my hand away before she could bite back down. I looked at her and she looked back at me, both of us breathing heavily. That's when I noticed that she had a small amount of blood dripping from her lips and that confused me.

 _Had she bit down so hard that she cut her lip, busted her gums or something?_

I looked down at my hand, to see that she had left behind a gnarly bite mark, which was bleeding.

 _She broke through my skin?_

I had struggled trying to test and see if I could break my skin and she did it on her first try? Or did she really feel that threatened? As she stared up at me, she used her sleeve to wipe some of the blood on her lips away, not breaking eye contact with me. It felt as though I was burning with rage. I grit my teeth, as my blood began to slowly drip onto the carpet. Gwen backed up on the bed a little bit as if she felt threatened. My hand that she had bitten tightened into a fist.

"Why you..." I spoke as I raised my fist.

I was about to call Gwen something that I should never call her and I both stopped speaking and moving once I saw what she did next. She formed a hot pink mana shield in front of her, one that shielded her entire front. At that moment, I finally felt as though something, somewhere deep down inside me of me was wrong.

 _Was I seriously thinking about punching my girlfriend? What the fuck has gotten into me?_

But of course, as soon as something felt wrong, my brain surged with rage and any trace of that feeling was gone. I still wanted to hit something, however, a small part of myself may still have felt bad at the prospect of hitting my girlfriend. So, I didn't hit her. I turned to my right as I began driving my punch and I curved my arm a bit and I slammed my fist into the door as hard as I could.

Waves of pain jolted up my arm, as it felt like I had broken one of my knuckles. I brought my fist back to see that I had broken through a layer of the wood on the door and it looked as though my hand were bloodier now than it had been beforehand. Don't get me wrong, it hurt like hell! But I knew that this wasn't real pain. This was nothing compared to when I was shot and stabbed. But still, I couldn't stop myself from yelling out in pain.

"Ow, God damn it!"

I cast a glance over at Gwen and I could have sworn that I saw her grin a bit in response to what I just did. Just then, I began to hear Verdona start crying from the other room. Then, Dad came barging into the room.

"What is going on in here?!" he exclaimed.

Gwen and I both looked at him, neither of us saying anything. As Dad stared at us, I held my bleeding hand and Gwen wiped more of the blood off of her lips with her sleeve. Dad noticed my bleeding hand first and then looked at Gwen's partially bloody jawline.

"Gwen, what the hell did you do to him?!" he replied with worry.

Gwen didn't answer. All she did was cross her arms and turn to face the wall without a word. At that point, I think Dad put two and two together and realized that I attempted to make a sexual advance on Gwen. Or maybe he did, I don't know. He grabbed my good hand and began to pull me out of the room by force.

"I don't know what you did Ben, but I hope it was worth it." he said as he pushed me into the bathroom. "Get yourself cleaned up, then you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

 _Albedo_

 _Sometime Later_

I stood in the bedroom that Sunny and I shared. She laid on the bed in nothing but her underwear, propped up on her shoulder and staring at me expectantly. She curled her finger and gestured to me.

"Come on, don't keep me waiting..." she said in a suggestive voice.

I just stood there beside the bed in my briefs, my face slightly pale. Sunny gave me a rare look of concern.

"Baby? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

I finally found my voice.

"I... I... I'm fine."

Sunny got up from the bed and slowly walked over to me in a suggestive manner. Once she reached me, she looped her hands around to my bare back and pulled me into a kiss.

"Come on," she whispered as she barely pulled away from the kiss. "We don't have much time and we need to get to sleep at some point."

Sunny began to steer us towards the bed, while maintaining the kiss. Eventually she began to lie down on the bed, pulling me down with her. As we continued making out, I began to feel weird, so I pulled away, which caused Sunny to give me a weird look.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know." I said. "I just have a weird feeling."

She stared up at me.

"You're not going to pass on me, are you?"

I sighed.

"Actually, I think I'm just not in the mood. Is that alright?"

She let out a disappointed sigh herself.

"Fine." She said as she rolled over and forcefully pushed me to my side of the bed. "Be a..."

"Don't say it."

"Don't say what?"

"Don't say the "P word"."

"What "P word"? Pussy?"

My face grew red, which caused her to laugh.

"Yes, that word."

"Hey, don't be such a pussy!"

"Sunny, please!"

She just chuckled.

"I'm just fucking with you, baby."

"Well, can you please stop?"

"Jeez, since when are you so sensitive?"

 _Sensitive... Ben asked earlier today why I was being so different. He seems to be different, too. What is going on with him?_

As I was in my thoughts, I noticed Sunny roll over, so she was facing away from me. I took the opportunity to snuggle up against her. And as soon as I did that, she swatted at my forearm as I put my arms around her waist.

"Ah, ah, ah! I didn't say I wanted to cuddle!" she said. "Now, go on!"

I released her from my grip and scooted over to back to my side of the bed.

"Moody much?" I asked as I got up to pull back the covers.

I didn't get an answer as I laid down beneath the covers.

"Well, good night." I said. "I love you."

"Sure." Sunny responded.

I felt a tinge of pain in my chest, but I closed my eyes and started to go to sleep, nonetheless.

 _Ben_

I was lying on the living room couch, with a quilt draped over myself, trying to get to sleep. I looked at my hand, now being covered with bandages. After I had cleaned and rinsed it, I wrapped it in a bandage. As I tried to fall asleep, I reflected on what had happened today.

Part of me knew that the things I had done today were wrong, but at the same time, my brain was too clouded with anger to care. I had no idea what had gotten me so angry. I rolled over onto my side, facing the couch. I could only hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

 _Don't count on it,_ a deep voice boomed in my brain.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! What do you guys think is causing Ben to act up like he's been doing? Do you think there's something off about Albedo, as well? The scene between Ben and Gwen, as well as the scene between Sunny and Albedo were not planned for the final cut of this chapter, but it needed to be longer.

* Also, if any of you readers disliked what happened between Ben and Gwen, I'm sorry, I guess? The only other thing that I can say is that he's not in his right state of mind right now.

* Lastly, I just want to bring this up. annihalator2015 has brought to my attention that he hasn't gotten any messages yet. So, please, message him, show him some love and thank him for his contributions to the story, as not only will his character be in this story, he's going to be beta reading for me and providing input from now on.

* So, with that said, I'm going to go. So, have a fantastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 100): I love the reference to Batman Begins. That was funny. And I also love the fact that Albedo is amping up his brother qualities. He keeps looking after Ben._

Thanks, Daniel. I also love that moment in Batman Begins. If I'm being honest, it might be my favorite moment out of the entire movie. Yeah, Albedo is getting better in that regard. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 100): And another great chapter congrats Poor Ben, I hope he gets better BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. Yes, Ben is in a bit of a bad spot, isn't he? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _primmerlee (Chapter 100): I've just bin read all 100 episodes I love the story can't wait for the next one_

Thanks, Prim (or Lee, whichever you prefer). I'm glad you love the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Guest Review (Chapter 25): Okay, what the fuck am i reading exactly? At this point im not sure. Im not hating or anything but this shit is just confusing now. The characters are way OOC for unclear reasons, there's so many plot holes it hurts, and events are happening randomly. I could be more specific but i dont feel like taking the time to breakdown all the problems. Still commend you for finishing the story._

Thanks. I can understand all of your issues. I wasn't a good writer back then and I can't say that I'm a good writer even now. The only thing I can really say is that if the story is still like this for you and you don't enjoy it, then don't read it. I wouldn't want you to read this if you don't like it. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Rainbow Prime (Chapter 19): So...you're not even trying to hide the fact that this is more of a Spider-Man fanfiction than it is a Ben 10 fanfiction now?_

Thanks, Rainbow. Well, I realize it's becoming more and more like that. It was intentional at first, as I love Spider-Man. He's my favorite superhero! But I can see how it's probably becoming repetitive and annoying. If it's the fact that he wears a costume that annoys you, then I'm sorry. It's just my thing and I won't be changing it. However, I will try to make him use his aliens more often and stop swinging with wrist gauntlets. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Superdude117 (Chapter 89): Motherfucker a good girlfriend would support his decision and not be so whiny about it_

Thanks, Superdude117. Yeah, you're probably right about that. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Superdude117 (Chapter 100): Question and this is sorta constructive criticism but why do you always make Ben get angry and flip out randomly for no reason when a regular person wouldn't do that and would take things through with ppl bc I've noticed it's happened a lot in both volumes but otherwise I love ur series so far_

Thanks, Superdude117. It was a trend that I did and I'm not completely sure anymore why it was so repetitive. I will say that if the whole anger thing annoys you, you most likely will not enjoy this arc. But after this arc, I'll try to back up off of the whole anger thing. Also, you're right that a _normal person_ wouldn't act this way. That's what I'll leave you with. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _blazingboy (Chapter 9): Dude, this is a fucking spiderman comic cuz I can swear I'm feeling some mj and Peter Parker vibes_

Thanks, blazingboy. Yes, I've addressed this already. And I can't help it, Spider-Man is a huge inspiration for me. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _codegreen3333 (Chapter 100): awesome chapter and awesome story. when is the next chapter and is there some kind of schedule?_

Thanks, Green. I'm glad that you like the story. No, there isn't a schedule. I just sort of release chapters for this story whenever I feel like it. I know that's not exactly professional, but I've never been good at maintaining a schedule. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Sishen123 (Chapter 100): And with that Ben's ego skyrockets to new heights as well as that negative attitude. Not really sure how to feel about the way he is treating everyone. But I feel like I was just playing the beginning of the saints row 4 and got the choice of punching a dick in the head or punching a dick head._

 _And got to say I am having a hard time chosing. He loves Gwen and wanted her back so when he gets her back he treats her like crap. Someone is going to deck him. But I am enjoying the story still and I'm waiting for that karma shoe to drop. I mean if you think about it in a way that is xenon event was actually kind of the same kind of karmic wake up call that knocked some sense into cannon Ben._

 _I got to ask are you bringing azmuth into the story in a figurative or a physical form? Another question I have is are you only using the alien forms for Ben or are we going to see a little of the alien force forms? I have more questions but for now I will end on that. Peace out :)_

I wouldn't say that his ego skyrockets, it's just his anger. Nice Saints Row 4 reference, I like that game. What do you mean xenon? If that's something from my story, then I'm a bad writer because I don't remember that. Good questions. Um, I will bring Azmuth to the story at some point, yes.

When, I'm not quite sure. And I'm sure that we'll see the alien force aliens at some point, I'm just not sure about when that will happen, either. Thanks for the questions! I really like answering questions. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben's situation with his family escalates even further and a new development in school forces him to leave home.


	27. Chapter 102: Switched: Part 3

Chapter 102: Switched: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Two!

* So, in this chapter, things will be ramping up for Ben. I won't say anything else. So, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _The Tennyson House_

 _Albedo_

When I woke up the next morning, Sunny was snuggled up against me, contrary to what she had said last night about "not wanting to cuddle". I began to run my fingers through her hair as she continued to sleep. Well, she didn't continue to sleep for long. Eventually she shifted, yawned and her eyelids fluttered open. I continued running my fingers through her hair as she stared down at me.

"I thought you said that you didn't want to cuddle?" I asked.

"I changed my mind." She said, touching my nose with hers as she spoke.

"You're so weird."

"I know I am."

She pulled me into a kiss, which I gladly returned. Once she pulled away, she spoke.

"What time is it?"

I reached for my phone sitting on the nightstand, not breaking my eye contact with her for even a second. I pulled it from its charger and looked at it. I set it back down once I saw the time.

"It's five in the morning. We have half an hour until the alarm goes off."

Sunny smirked.

"Thirty minutes, huh? Want to mess around for a little bit?"

I shook my head as I rolled us over, so we were on our sides.

"No." I said as I pulled away. "No sense in wasting time. Might as well get an early breakfast in."

I kicked my covers off and got out of bed. I walked over to where my jeans from yesterday rested in a heap and reached to pull them on.

"Hmm." Sunny mused. "You're going to regret not having any of _this_."

I turned to face her with a smirk on my face.

"I don't think so, Sunny. I don't want to be a sex-craving lunatic all the time!"

She stuck out her tongue at me after that, earning a laugh out of me.

 _Ben_

 _One Hour Later_

I was woken up by the sound of people talking, coming from the kitchen. I let out a sigh as I sat up on the couch and tried to drown out the sounds of the voices. Once I realized that I couldn't drown out the sounds, I gave up and got up from the couch. I walked into the kitchen and Gwen, Albedo and Sunny, who were all sitting at the table stopped talking and looked up at me.

"Good morning." Albedo was the first one to speak, as Gwen refused to speak, giving me a look of anger.

I walked past them without a word, grunting as I moved towards the hallway to the basement stairs.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Albedo called out.

"Yeah, yeah." I said as I waved over my shoulder. "I hear you."

I walked down the basement stairs, flicking on the light as I went. Once I got down the stairs I walked across the room to the TV and sat down on the couch, grabbing an Xbox controller and firing up the console. I hadn't even decided what game I was going to play when Dad came down the stairs. He came to a stop beside the couch and just stood there in silence.

"What?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Shouldn't you eat breakfast before school today?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I'm not going."

"What do you mean you're not going?! You have to go to school!"

"Um, no I don't. I'm smarter than all of the people there. I don't need to go to school."

"Yes, you do!"

"Dad, I don't know what you think, but school isn't the party that you think it is."

"You're not there to be having a party young man, you're there to learn!"

"But, I don't need to learn a damn thing! I'm fine as I am!"

"Ben, I think you need to calm down and..."

"Father, I don't care what you think. Now, unless you have anything else to say, leave me alone."

He went silent for a few seconds. Eventually, I turned to look at him, seeing that his face was red with anger.

"What?" I asked.

Dad finally snapped. He yanked the controller from my hands and threw it at the wall, where it practically exploded upon impact. I just looked at the wall with shock, before I looked back at him with anger in my eyes.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" I exclaimed.

"You don't get to talk to me like that, young man!" he said as he grabbed my shoulder, yanking me up from the couch. "Now get upstairs and get dressed! You're going to school!"

He pushed me towards the stairs, and I made my way up the stairs, grumbling to myself the whole way.

"Yeah, I'll go to school, all right. I'll go."

I walked through the hall and kitchen without uttering a word to anyone. I went to my room and got dressed, choosing to wear jeans, a T-shirt and a jacket. Once I was dressed and had my shoes on, I left the room. I also made sure I had my phone on my person. Then I walked through the living room and out the door, slamming it behind me before anyone could say anything.

 _Albedo_

 _Madison High School_

 _A Few Hours Later_

I walked up to the bulletin board with the sign-up sheets for sports, ready to sign myself up for the spring swimming season for boys. I recalled from Ben's memories that he was a regular on the Madison High School swim team and I wanted to try it for myself. Ben would have to sign himself up if he wanted to do it again this year, I wouldn't do it for him.

Just as I was signing my name, another kid walked up next to me and began signing himself up for a sport as well. I turned to look at him. He had brown hair, which was shaggy and course. He was wearing mostly black, except for the jeans he wore. Black leather jacket and black shoes. On top of that he had a lean, muscular frame. Just as I was about to say something, he began to look around his surroundings.

"You alright?" I spoke up.

"Um, yeah. I just thought I smelled something, that's all." He said.

I had to say that when I heard him speak, I could detect a slightly rough Scottish accent. And now he was looking at me.

"What?" I asked with confusion.

"This may be a weird question to ask, but do you by any chance know a Ben Tennyson?"

The mention of Ben surprised me and the face I made could have said it all.

"How do you know my brother?"

"Oh, so he's your brother, then?"

I nodded.

"Well, we're twins, actually." I lied. "But you get the point."

"Twins, huh? You don't say."

"So, how exactly do you know him?"

He turned back to the bulletin board.

"I don't really know him. He just scared off a couple of guys that were giving me trouble yesterday."

"Oh. Well, I hope he didn't say anything that offended you. He didn't, did he?"

"Well, he walked off while I was in mid-sentence, but it's whatever."

"I can't answer for the things that my brother may have said or done."

"I don't expect you to."

He turned to look at me.

"But I will say this. Despite what your brother is going through right now, he needs to get his shit together. He needs to cool down before he does something really stupid."

I just stared at the guy as he stared back with an intense look in his eyes. That's when I noticed what color his eyes were. He had blue gray eyes. It kind of seemed as though they glowed. But that glow faded once the intense look left him. He then let out a chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. My name's Nathan. Nathan Black and I just transferred here yesterday."

He stuck out his hand, I eventually took it and we shook.

"I'm Albedo. Since I already told you that Ben is my brother, I think that it would be redundant to tell you my last name."

The semi-friendly look on Nathan's face disappeared, now being replaced by a skeptical one.

"What kind of name is Albedo?" he asked as he let go of my hand.

"Um, it's foreign." I replied, an obvious lie.

"Foreign? No kidding?"

"Yeah."

"Huh."

Nathan turned back to the bulletin board without another word, as did I.

"So, uh, what sport are you signing up for?" I finally asked.

"I played for my previous school's football team as one of the lead runners, so I thought I'd continue my career here. So, football is what I'm going for. You?"

"I'm signing up for the spring season for boys swimming. Ben has always been on the swim team, but this was my last opportunity to try it."

"I see."

More silence passed between Nathan and I before he finally spoke again.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure man. What's on your mind?"

"So, most places I've been, football is played in late summer and early fall. So, why is it played in late winter and early spring here?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know. I think there's a degree of discipline to the cold weather?"

He began chucking after I said that and so I turned to look at him.

"What?" I asked in a confused tone.

He turned to look at me as well, his chuckle dying down.

"So, you think you know what discipline is?" he asked. "Pathetic."

And with that, he began to walk away from the bulletin board. I just stood there and scratched the back of my neck as I watched him go.

"Um, okay. Well, nice to meet you, too. I guess."

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I stood on a rooftop in Downtown Bellwood, in costume, just waiting for something interesting to happen. I continued standing there, before I finally saw a car speed past the building with alarming speed. I grinned as I saw this.

"Finally." I muttered as I began running across the rooftop as I dialed up the Omnitrix.

I transformed into Diamondhead and leaped from the rooftop, falling towards the speeding car. I eventually landed on it, creating a dent in the roof. I could barely hear the driver inside let out a scream of shock and hit the gas even harder in response.

"Oh," I chuckled. "I love it when they try to fight!"

My arms elongated into diamond blades and I stabbed into the roof of the car, before pulling it apart and revealing a shocked man wearing a work suit inside. The car came to a hard stop and the man looked up at me, with a look of fear in his eyes.

"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, sounding terrified but angry, nonetheless. "I'm going to be late to work now, thanks to you!"

My eyes widened as I stared back at him.

"Oh, um, sorry." I said as I finally got off of his car.

He looked at me with anger.

"You're sorry?! Really?! That's the excuse you're going to use?! Fine! I'll just have to use that excuse when I explain to my boss why I'm late!"

And with that, he sped off once more, without another word to me.

 _Um, what the fuck just happened?_

I just stared at where the car had been, disbelief clouding my brain. The only possible answer I could come up with is that I had landed on the wrong car. But could I have really been that dumb? Or was did the speeding car have nothing to do with crime? Was it just a guy who was late for work?

I backed up from the street as multiple cars sped away, likely terrified of the diamond-covered alien standing here. I turned, unsure of what to do and that's when I saw something that caught my eye. I turned to look at the building that was next to me and I saw my reflection in the glass of the window. But there was something off about my reflection. My reflection was entirely black and white, even though Diamondhead was primarily emerald green and white! And when I looked down at my hands, they were green, not black and white!

I looked back at the glass, just to see the same black and white reflection. Maybe it was just a trick of the light? I decided to shrug it off and get out of here before I attracted any more attention.

 _A Few Hours Later_

 _The Clubhouse_

After my mishap in the city, I thought that it may be wise of me to lay low for the day. So, I was lying on the couch, trying to ignore the anger that was still clouding my brain. That's when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Once I took it out, I saw that Mom had texted me. I let out an annoyed sigh and opened up my texts. The text from Mom said:

 _Wherever you are, I know you're not at school. Something came for you in the mail, come home._

I texted Mom back, asking what it was, but I didn't get a response back. So, with a sigh, I got up from the couch and walked towards the door with my keys and phone on me.

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I finally made it home and used my keys to unlock the front door. I walked in to see Mom sitting on the couch, holding Verdona, while Dad sat next to her. Seeing Dad there sort of surprised me.

"I thought you had work?" I asked.

"I decided to take the day off." he responded in an angered tone.

"It's over there. On the kitchen table." Mom spoke before I could, as she got up from the couch.

She walked past me as I walked into the kitchen. I walked over to the kitchen table, where the envelope sat. The first thing that caught my eye was that it had the logo of my school district stamped in the upper left hand corner. That sent a small chill down my spine, as I rarely got any mail from my school district, unless it was my report card or something like that. I didn't want to open it up, but I had to. So, I picked it up and opened it. Once I began reading the letter on the inside, my entire world came to a crashing halt. The letter said:

 _Dear Benjamin K. Tennyson,_

 _We regrettably write to you today to inform you that you have been expelled. Due to your recent violent outburst on school grounds and leaving without permission of a parent, guardian or office employee, we have determined that you are not Madison material. If you are seen on campus in the future, you will promptly be escorted off the campus by an employee. We think it is best if you look to finish your education elsewhere._

 _Good Luck in Any of Your Future Endeavors and Best Wishes,_

 _Principal Hannigan_

I just stared at the letter in my hand with disbelief. Eventually, I heard Mom walk back into the room.

"What's in the envelope?" she asked.

I didn't answer. All I could do was continue staring at the letter.

"Um, hello? I asked you a question!"

I finally looked up at her, the look of disbelief still on my face.

"What? What does it say?"

She eventually walked over to me and forced the letter from my hands. After several seconds, she looked up at me with a look of disbelief as well. She also had a look of anger in her eyes.

"Y-You got expelled?" she asked in an angry tone.

"He what?!" my father exclaimed in a surprised and angry matter.

Soon after, he was standing in the kitchen as well, just as angry as Mom, if not more.

"What the fuck did you do, Benjamin?!" he angrily asked.

They both looked at me, demanding an explanation. So, I finally spoke.

"Um, I insulted a girl who was making Gwen uncomfortable and I made her cry. I hit my friend in the face with a notebook and I put a couple bullies into their place who were bugging the new kid at school."

They just looked at me with shock.

"What?" I asked. "Is there a problem?"

"You practically became a bully and got yourself expelled and you're asking if there's a problem?!" Mom said with shock.

I shrugged.

"So, what? My girlfriend was being made fun of and I couldn't just stand by and let bullies bug a new kid!"

"You can't just be judge, jury and executioner, Ben!"

"Even if some dumb bitch is spreading nasty rumors about my girlfriend?" I asked with anger.

"Don't say things like that, Benjamin!" Dad exclaimed.

"Sorry if it's the truth."

Mom continued to look at me with shock.

"Ben, don't you care that you've gotten yourself expelled?"

"Why should I? I'm smarter than all of the people there! I don't need them! If anything, this should be a new start for me!"

Mom looked down at the floor and didn't say anything.

"Mom?" I asked with a hint of concern in my voice.

"Don't call me that." She whispered at last.

"What?" I asked with surprise.

She finally looked up at me, looking as though she would cry, yet retaining that angry look.

"Get out of my house." She said.

"What?" Dad and I both asked with surprise.

"Get out of my house!" she exclaimed with anger.

I stepped back with surprise.

"What do you..." I tried to speak, only to be interrupted.

"Get out of my house! You are not my son! You stopped being my son when you became violent and got yourself expelled! I refuse to raise a delinquent and that's what you've become!"

I just stared at her, unsure of how to respond.

"Get out." She said repeated herself.

Not saying anything, I finally walked past her. And I walked out the front door, just as she wanted me to. And just as I walked out the door, I nearly ran into Albedo, who was just getting home from school with Sunny and Gwen.

"Watch where the fuck you're going!" I exclaimed with anger as I walked past them.

They all just looked at me with confusion, while Gwen just looked away from me as I walked past. I walked down the sidewalk, back towards the clubhouse.

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Clubhouse_

I eventually made it back to the clubhouse and I was still angry. Much angrier than I had been, in fact. I flopped down on the couch and sighed. The Omnitrix caught my eye and that's when I decided to take it off for the night. I probably wasn't going to use it for the rest of the night, so what was the point of keeping it on?

And as soon as I took it off, I was surprised when I began to immediately feel better. The anger was gone; my brain was no longer clouded. It was as if I was seeing in a new light. I had suddenly realized that I messed up. Had the Omnitrix made me do it all? Had it somehow caused a drastic change in my personality?

I put my hands over my eyes and began to curse myself. I had caused trouble at school, hurt one of my friends, made a sexual advance on Gwen without her approval and I got myself expelled. I hissed with anger, now feeling embarrassed from my actions.

 _What have I done?_

 _Author's Note:_

* And so, that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* So, do you guys think that the Omnitrix has something to do with Ben's mood swings? What do you think of Ben getting expelled and his Mom having disowned him? I am open to any speculation or anything that you guys might want to tell me.

* So, with that being said, I think I'm done here. I'm going to go though, so have a fantastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 101): Ghostfreak. That's the only reason I can think of. Ben is not himself. He's hearing a terrifying voice. Dark. Dangerous. It has to be him. Also. Thank you for responding to my comment._

Thanks, Daniel. Well, a few people seem to like the Ghostfreak approach, don't they? That said, I will neither confirm nor deny that it is Ghostfreak. And no problem on replying to your comment. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 101): Finally another great chapter congrats_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 95): An interesting shift in dynamics with Sunny trying to be nice to Ben while Albedo is mad at him for screwing up. Ben still remained pretty grumpy for most of the chapter, but I can understand his frustration with having a birthday and feel like there's nothing to celebrate._

 _I'm glad Ben and Gwen got back together. I hope that Ben gets over his grumpiness with Gwen by his side again and can truly be happy. I felt like ever since Kevin died, Ben's life had only downs and no ups. Oh, the new Tennyson baby is coming! Great chapter! (Sorry that it took me forever to review)_

No sweat, csgt. Take your time to read and review my chapters if it's necessary. There will be moments like these sprinkled in every now and then, where Sunny and Ben are nice to each other. But don't expect them to be often! There was no doubting the fact that Ben and Gwen would get back together. One way or another, it was going to happen. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 96): I felt like Director Steel didn't really need Ben's help to deal with Gorvan, but kind of wanted to push Ben in the right direction. Same as Gwen, that's why she insisted Ben to go. So he can finally find a balance between hero life and civilian life. I can see that even though Ben and Gwen are back together, things are not fully healed, especially with the silent ride to the hospital and Gwen questioning Ben's optimism._

 _I'm looking forward to what's in store for them in the next chapters. Baby Verdona Tennyson! I was betting the name would be either something ending with "EN" or with a EN nickname, like Carmen or Jennifer (Jen). But I like the idea of naming her after another family member too. Nice chapter_

Thanks, csgt. Director Steel didn't really need Ben to help with the Gorvan situation, it was more of a "hey, do this favor for me" kind of thing. Yeah, Gwen wants Ben to continue hero work, even if he has to defy his Mom's orders. Yeah, their relationship isn't fully healed yet.

I decided to name Ben's little sister "Verdona" as a shout-out to the character from Alien Force. I'm not sure if I'll ever introduce the actual character, so for now, this'll have to do. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 97): I'm glad Ben's mother changed her mind. The concept of a curfew is well, kind of funny. I was almost expecting Ben to make a joke like, "Imagine if Batman had a curfew! Joker, Riddler, Penguim, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and the other villains could just wait until after 10 o'clock and lay waste to Gotham!"_

 _Most criminals prefer to act when it's dark too. But I understand Ben needs something to prevent him from going crazy with hero-work. I'm wondering if/how Ben and Albedo will repair their friendship. I actually like the fact that they're not so much friendly to each other lately. Snowball is so cute! Gwen's mother needs to learn a lesson. But having at least one parent antagonizing the relationship is a good choice in my opinion._

 _Nice moments between Ben and Gwen. Ben clearly can't wait to have sex with Gwen again XD I'm looking forward to how Ben will deal with a psychiatrist. He can't really tell them much, not if he wants to keep his secret identity. Nice chapter!_

Thanks, csgt. The curfew is really there just because Ben's in school. Gwen's Mom needs to calm down, that's what she needs to do. But yeah, I did want at least one person antagonizing the relationship. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _csgt (Chapter 98): I liked it, it served as a recap of Ben's misadventures so far. Interesting. It was a bit weird for me to see Jennifer Nocturne as a doctor, I admit. I always think of her as an actress. I think you could have went with Doctor Borges instead, who is a therapist in canon. But of course, it's your story and I enjoy it. And people also pointed out in my stories how I changed too much canon, so I definitely won't judge you for that XD_

 _I think the diagnosis was spot on. Ben is suffering from PTSD, depressed has dissociative identity disorder, all makes sense to me. Even though I'm not a therapist myself, so I could be wrong XD I like the idea that the therapist knew Ben's identity and worked for SECT. So we didn't need to dance around that issue and could get straight to the point of Ben discussing his problems. Very nice idea._

 _By the way, a small issue: therapy usually has weekly sessions, definitely not months apart. It would never work that way. A suggestion, you don't have to write Ben going to therapy every two chapters but you can mention that it happens "off-screen". Another very nice chapter. Congrats_

Thanks, csgt. I just decided to make Jennifer Nocturne a doctor out of a change of pace. And I don't know enough about the canon to know that Doctor Borges exists. Yeah, Ben definitely needed this. Well, about therapy having weekly sessions, Doctor Nocturne is both an on call therapist and psychiatrist for S.E.C.T.

And it's to my knowledge that sessions with a psychiatrist are not on a weekly basis. In Chapter 100, you'll see something that would confirm this or at least to me it would. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Raion Shinz (Chapter 3): So uhh do you think you could possibly revisit this story and edit the beginning so it's not a huge wall of text? I'm only persisting because so many people like it because otherwise I would've bailed on the first chapter._

Thanks, Raion. Yes, I realize that the first three chapters aren't in the best place right now. I'm aware that they're not easy to read in their current state. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _annihalator2015 (Chapter 101): Hello readers! As my friend Spidey here has mentioned before, I am the creator of Nathan and all characters personally affiliated with him, I have also beta read a few chapters, giving my thoughts on them so Spidey can refine them a bit more before releasing the final product to the public._

 _I would be very grateful if you would show me some love, as Nathan will be a permanent fixture in the story from now on, but I'm going to leave you hanging about just how important he is and what role he will play in the upcoming chapters. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me and ask them, if you would also like help with any Fanfics you yourselves may be writing, I am available to give help to the best of my ability._

Like annihalator said, he's the creator of Nathan and he will be a permanent addition to the story, so please show him some love. And if there are any questions about Nathan, please go to him, he'd be the better person to ask. And as he said, he'll be continuing to beta read my chapters and he's been a big help so far. So, he more than deserves receiving recognition from you guys. Thanks!

 _Guest Review (Chapter 19): Spider Ben_

Well, yes. It seems like a good amount of the readers automatically jump to that, doesn't it? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Guest Review (Chapter 76): What is this Spider-Man two with an edgy Christian Toby miguire with Bens tens clothes?_

Um, I'm not sure how to respond to that. I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to get at. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben reflects on the things he's done and tries to figure out why he did it. Ben is surprised when his Mom calls him back home after the school principal requests a meeting with him and his parents.


	28. Chapter 103: Switched: Part 4

Chapter 103: Switched: Part Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Three!

* Starting in this chapter, things will begin to make sense, as to why Ben has been acting darker than he usually has. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say anything else.

* With that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _The Clubhouse_

 _Ben_

It was the next morning; I had spent the night at the Clubhouse. I laid on the couch, still having had the Omnitrix off the whole night. My head was clear now and I was no longer angry. I was however ashamed of my actions over the previous couple days. I still had no idea what had gotten into me.

I couldn't even begin to accept the fact that I had tried to make a sexual advance on Gwen. The fact that I could try something like that disturbed me. I had made that girl who was bullying Gwen cry. However, that I wasn't too ashamed about. I was a jerk to the new kid in school, Nathan, I think his name was?

And apparently on top of all that, I've been expelled from Madison. I'm honestly not sure which was worse, being expelled or pretty much losing Gwen again. Being expelled from school, see at this point, my life is pretty much over and I have no future. If I hadn't had messed things up with Gwen, then I may have a future.

And seeing as Gwen was likely done with me after this, my future is also out the window. Maybe if I hadn't of done what I did, Gwen would be here, and I could complain to her. But there's no chance of that. Actually, if I was being honest, I didn't deserve to complain to her or go to her for comfort after what I did.

One thing that disturbed me is the reflection that I saw yesterday. How Diamondhead's reflection was black and white, but his actual body was colored how it usually is. I had to know if something was wrong with the Omnitrix. So, even though I didn't want to, I decided to put the Omnitrix back on. Once I had the Omnitrix, I walked to the bathroom, the only place in the Clubhouse that had a mirror.

 _What's an alien that I could use in here without causing damage?_

Having the Omnitrix back on, I already began to feel angry and moody again. So, I had to get this done. I dialed up the Omnitrix and began circling through my available forms. Eventually, I came to Greymatter.

 _Greymatter can't cause too much trouble,_ I thought.

With reluctance to do so, I finally pushed down on the ring and was engulfed in a flash of light. Once the flash cleared, I noticed that I was standing on the floor of the bathroom, no less than a foot or two high. I then jumped up onto the toilet, beginning my climb up to the sink. As I climbed, I noticed that my hands were the usual grey color.

However, my reflection seemed to tell a different story once I got up to the mirror. My reflection revealed a Greymatter with black and white skin, _not_ grey and white, as well as pulsing red eyes. Just seeing my reflection spooked me.

 _What the fuck is going on here? I have to get this thing off of me as soon as possible!_

I jumped down from the sink and waited for the Omnitrix to time out, as I tried to think about my situation.

 _One Hour Later_

Once I reverted back to my human form, I took off the Omnitrix once again. Right now, I was sitting on the couch, watching the morning news on the T.V., not seeing anything else to do. The weather report had just finished, and the female newscaster was talking about something that had happened last night.

"Last night, a warehouse at the docks was breached by a squad of SWAT Team members."

I sat up straighter now, slightly intrigued by the report.

"On the inside, they found something straight out of a nightmare."

I stared intently at the screen, waiting for the newscaster to stop her dramatic pause.

"Over a dozen gang members dead, along with a few Russian men, possibly Mobsters."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

 _What are Russians doing in Bellwood? And gang members? It has to be some kind of weapon deal gone wrong._

As if to confirm my thoughts, the newscaster spoke again.

"It appears to have been a weapons deal, as there were several cases of military grade hardware. High caliber rifles, body armor and such."

 _So, if they were dead and the SWAT Team certainly didn't kill them, then what did?_

"At the site, they found that the men hadn't been killed my bullets, but by teeth and claws, judging by the markings found on their mangled bodies."

I was about to stand up from the shock, but I continued listening to the news report.

"One of the gang members who barely survived the attack, describes what he saw as a giant beast, with glowing crimson eyes. He repeated those words several times, until he was approached by a SWAT Team member. He then yelled for the SWAT Team member to run before the thing that caused the massacre returned."

That made me stand up, clutching my face with both hands.

" _Giant beast. Glowing crimson eyes." The way I've been acting lately, what if my parents suspect that I have something to do with it?_

The newscaster continued talking, mentioning something about what they found in a cargo container, but I turned the T.V. off, not being able to watch anymore.

"Crap!" I said as I tossed the remote to the single person chair across from the couch.

 _No doubt that Mom is going to call and ask about it!_

Almost on cue, my phone began to ring. I looked at it, to see Mom's caller ID.

 _How could she even talk to me after the things she said last night?_

I mentally decided that I wasn't going to answer.

 _Why would she want to talk to me? The son that she had disowned after all of the heinous things that he had done?_

I let out a sigh as I fell back into the couch, unsure of what I was to do at this point.

 _A Couple Hours Later_

I had resumed watching T.V., when I heard a knock at the door. I ignored it, only for there to be another knock a few seconds later. This time I muted the T.V. Another knock came, however this time, it was an aggressive knock. I let out a sigh as I stood up from the couch and walked to the door. I opened the door, to see Mom standing on the other side. We both just stood there, staring at each other, trying to figure out what to say.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" she finally asked.

"Why would you want to talk to me? After all the things you said yesterday?"

She didn't say anything in return, which told me she must have been thinking about what I said. I walked away from the door, but I didn't close it. I sat down at the couch and she walked into the clubhouse after me.

"I want you to come back home." She said at last.

I looked back at her with surprise.

"Why would you want me, the son that you verbally disowned, to come back home? You even kicked me out! You said that you didn't want me to be there!"

She didn't say anything; she only blinked.

"And you were right. I understand why you said the things that you said. I'm a terrible son. I'm ashamed of the things I've done in the last two days. So, I'll ask you again: Why would you want me to come home?"

She stared back at me, before finally speaking.

"I'm letting you back in. I'm giving you a second chance. Your principal called and he wants to see you, as well as your father and I. So, you're coming home and you're going up to the school with us."

"Okay. You go on ahead. I'll walk back."

"No, you won't. I drove all the way here to tell you, so you'll come back with me."

I knew that I couldn't talk my way out of this. So, I didn't.

"Fine."

Her eyes traveled down a bit.

"Where's that thing that you wear on your wrist?"

"The Omnitrix? I took it off last night because I didn't want to deal with it."

"Well, grab it. We need to take it with us."

"Why would you want me to bring it? I don't even want to put it back on."

"You don't have to put it back on. Just bring it with us. It is a dangerous piece of alien technology that can't fall into the wrong hands. You have to have it on you at all times."

"Fine."

I went over and grabbed the Omnitrix from its spot on the floor. I held it, but I didn't put it on.

"Okay." I said with a sigh. "Let's go."

 _One Hour Later_

 _Madison High School_

Upon getting home, I grabbed the paper that I got in the mail from the school, seeing as I may need it. My parents and I sat in the principal's office. Principal Hannigan looked at me.

"You seem to have been on a troublesome spree, Ben." he said at last.

"Why am I here?" I asked.

"You're here because I want to know why you've been so troubling lately."

"What does it matter? You've already expelled me."

Principal Hannigan looked at me. When no one said anything, I was forced to speak.

"What?"

"I already expelled you?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, you did. Did you not send me this?"

I handed him the paper that I was sent yesterday. He took it from me and looked it over. After a few seconds, me mumbled something and shook his head.

"What?" Mom asked.

He looked up at us.

"I never authorized for this to be sent. In fact, I never wrote this."

I sat up straighter in my seat.

"So, you didn't expel me?"

He shook his head.

"No."

"Well, then..."

I tried to ask another question, but Principal Hannigan reached for the telephone that sat on his desk. He pulled the phone off of the receiver and dialed a few numbers. He put the phone to his ear and spoke a few seconds later.

"Mrs. Delaney, can you come in here?"

He put the phone back down on the receiver and a few seconds later, a middle aged woman, probably one of the secretaries walked in.

"Yes, Mr. Hannigan?" the lady asked.

He reached out to her with the paper in his hand.

"Somebody wrote this note and forged my signature. I want the handwriting traced. I want to know who did this."

Mrs. Delaney took the paper from him.

"Let me make a few calls."

With that, she left the office, closing the door behind her. Principal Hannigan looked back at me.

"So, if you didn't expel me, then why did you want to see me?"

He let out a sigh.

"Well, after the things you did, you can't just walk free." He said.

I nodded.

"I know, Sir. I had a temporary lapse in my judgement, and I promise, it'll never happen again."

He stared back at me.

"I appreciate that you admit you did something wrong, but still. I can't just allow you to roam freely around my school."

"Please, don't expel me, Sir! If I get kicked out, my life will be over! I'll have nowhere to..."

Mr. Hannigan put his hand up, signaling for me to stop talking.

"Relax, Mr. Tennyson. I'm not going to expel you."

"You're not?" I asked in a surprised tone.

He shook his head.

"Oh, thank God!" I replied as I slumped back into the chair.

"That being said," Principal Hannigan continued. "I can't just allow you to get off scot-free without punishment after the things you did."

I looked back at Principal Hannigan.

"So, what are you going to have me do?"

"There are only a couple days left in the semester. So, I'm going to put you on Out of School Suspension. Or, OSS as it's known by the acronym. You won't be coming back until the start of the next semester and during your time away, you'll write me a paper explaining why the things you did were wrong. Does that seem fair?"

"You'll get no argument from me, Sir."

"Outstanding." He replied, before looking past me and at my parents. "Do either of you have any objections?"

I turned to look at both Mom and Dad.

"That's perfect." Mom replied before Dad could say a word. "And to add on to that, while he's under OSS, he won't be allowed to leave the house. Unless it's with his father or myself."

"Even better." Principal Hannigan agreed. "Would you report to me if he's stayed home for his entire OSS period before the new semester starts?"

She nodded. With that, he turned back to me.

"And Ben, if I hear from your mother that you've left the house and that you aren't taking this punishment seriously, _then_ we may have to consider your other options. Such as, transferring to a different school... Are we clear?"

I nodded without a word.

"Goody. Then, I believe we're done here. I want that paper on my desk when classes resume on January 4th, before your first period. Make sure you remember that."

I nodded.

"I will, Sir."

He smiled in return as he stood up and walked to the door.

"I'll see you folks out." He replied as he opened it for us.

I got up, as did Mom and Dad, and we left Principal Hannigan's Office. We moved through the main office and eventually exited into the hallway. And just as we did, I bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry!" I exclaimed apologetically.

"It's no problem." The person replied.

I recognized that voice! I turned to get a better look at the person, and I realized it was him, the new kid!

 _His name was Nathan, wasn't it?_

"Hey, it's Nathan, right?" I asked.

He nodded at me.

"Yeah. Ben, right? Did your brother pass along the message that I gave him?"

"Message? No."

"The message that you need to calm the fuck down?"

I shook my head.

"Well, if it matters, I have calmed down. And I'm sorry if I ever did anything that offended you."

He shrugged.

"I'm glad you sorted yourself out. It would be a shame if I had to get you to calm down personally."

I just stared at him in response. I eventually cleared my throat in an effort to change the subject.

"So, what's up with you?"

"Oh, you know." He spoke as he began to walk away. "Football tryouts are today. See you later!"

I just looked on with confusion as he walked away.

 _Well, that was somewhat rude. I guess that's what I deserve for being so mean this week. But can I help it if I wasn't in control of myself?_

"What was that all about?" Dad asked from behind me.

I turned around to face him.

"What did he mean about you needing to calm down?" he asked again.

I sighed.

"I may have come off as rude to him this week."

"What do you mean, you "may have"?" Mom chimed in.

I looked down.

"I walked away from him as he was talking with me."

"Why would you do that?" Dad asked in a stern tone.

I looked back up at him, wanting to cry for some reason.

"Well, I don't know! All week it has felt like I wasn't in control of myself!" I said, as I felt my cheeks heating up.

"We'll talk about this when we get home." Mom said. "Come on."

They both walked past me and towards the exit of the school, and I was forced to follow.

 _Ten Minutes Later_

All was mostly silent on the car ride back. Until I spoke up, at least.

"So, I'm grounded again?"

As Dad drove, Mom turned around in her seat to look at me.

"Well, only on paper." She replied.

I stared back at her with confusion.

"Only on paper? What does that mean?"

"While according to your principal you are grounded, if the city is in dire need, I think I could "lose track of you" for a few hours."

She turned back around in her seat after that.

"Um, okay."

No one said a word. I leaned back into my seat as I began to think.

 _I was supposed to be grounded from hero work before all of this shit went down, and here is Mom acting as though she'll forget about it, just because I've had a rough week._

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

Once we got back home, Mom put Verdona down for a nap. After that, she told me to go sit down in the living room, where she eventually joined Dad and me.

"So, why have you been so rude this week?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I don't know. I have no idea what's gotten into me. All I know is that all of my aliens in the Omnitrix have had black and white reflections, which isn't normal. And also, when I took it off last night, I immediately felt better. And that's when I began to shame myself for the things I have done."

"Do you think that the Omnitrix has something to do with it?" Dad asked.

"I think that it would be the only logical explanation."

"Do you know of any method to analyze it?" Mom spoke next.

As soon as she said that, I went deep into thought.

 _Well, I'm sure that they would do it. But I don't want to talk to them or him, for that matter!_

I finally sighed with anger.

"Damn it." I muttered as I stood up.

"What?" Mom asked as she watched me go. "Was it something I said?"

I turned to look at her as I stopped.

"No, Mom. I think... I just..." I let out a sigh as I stopped myself. "I need to make a call."

I walked out of the living room and towards the bedroom that Gwen and I shared, probably leaving them both confused.

 _A Few Minutes Later_

After a bit of digging through my backpack, I found the card that Director Steel had given me on Monday. I was staring down at the number on the card, as I held my phone in my other hand. I let out a sigh as I finally dialed the number and put the phone up to my ear.

 _I hope I don't regret this._

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed! Ben is (for the most part) back to normal.

* So, for the next chapter, I will say this: Prepare for more than one surprise!

* With that being said, I think I'm done here. So, I'm going to go though, so have a fantastic day and bye!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Shinra tensai (Chapter 83): In the description of both of these stories you should have put an AU warning, other than that I'm wondering if you meant for Ben to be a prick or not, I think your thought process for making Ben was either focused on young Ben who was brash for the sake of being brash rather than Ben prime in alien force and ultimate alien who was cocky but to a degree and would always learn from his cocky actions, or this one seems the more likely it's a self insert with a terrible version of Spider-Man as an inspiration also why doesn't Ben use the omnitrix I mean I know you kinda suck at writing those scenes but a lot of bens aliens could deal with Clancy seeing as how Clancy is just mcu venom idk someone like goop would probably be able to defeat him too seeing as how he's intangible but that's besides the point, maybe next time just use a rough draft and stick to a actual character design for Ben and not make him a giant plot train_

Thanks, Shin. I guess. I thought I did a good job of making it clear that this was an AU story, but I guess I was wrong. I don't mean for Ben to be a prick and so mean all the time; in fact, I want to move him away from that. Sorry if you don't like that I use Spider-Man as inspiration. I've stated many times that he's my favorite comic book character.

And the costume began just as a "save" in case he reverts back to his human form in public. Also, I know that Ben doesn't use his aliens. I get that and I'm going to try having him use his aliens more often. I'm not sure what you mean by "MCU Venom". Venom isn't in the MCU and he may never be. As for Goop, Ben doesn't have that alien yet. No comment on the last thing you said. Thanks for the review, I guess.

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 102): Expelled & disowned. I have a feeling that Nat & Frank might, MIGHT, take Ben in. Max & Verdona aren't around. And I highly doubt they would turn family away. Even with the drama in Ben's life._

Thanks, Daniel. Frank would definitely take Ben in. Natalie on the other end, I don't know about that. Natalie still doesn't like Ben for dating Gwen, and it'll be a while before she can consider Ben as family again. Max is around, he's just been absent. As for Verdona (Grandma Verdona), she hasn't been introduced yet. And I'm not sure if she ever will be introduced. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 102): And another great chapter congrats It little reminds me of how Spider-Man became a host for Venom BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. Yeah, I could see how you would think that. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _FanFicLover93 (Chapter 20): This is getting weirder and weirder_

Thanks. Yeah, I understand. I'm not proud of all the stuff that I've written. There are some parts of this story that I've written, where I'll be like: "Why did I write this?". Anyway, thanks for the review as always.

 _FanFicLover93 (Chapter 31): This is a very confusing story_

Thanks. As I said, I'm not proud of everything that I've written for this story. I'm also haven't been the best storyteller, leading to much confusion. Either way, if you keep reading to this point, I hope it's gotten less confusing. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben and Albedo visit Director Steel. A S.E.C.T. technician's analysis reveals what's been going on with Ben. Ben and Co. receive a few surprise visitors.


	29. Chapter 104: Switched: Part 5

Chapter 104: Switched: Part Five

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Four!

* So, in this chapter, everything should become clear! So, with that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _Ben_

 _The Tennyson House_

So, even though I didn't want to, I called the number and after speaking with a receptionist (I guess?), I finally got to speak with Director Steel. He wouldn't even let me have a word. He kept going on and on. Eventually, I just had to tell him to shut up and listen to me. I asked him if I could come up to S.E.C.T. headquarters and he immediately said yes.

Before getting off the phone with me he told me that he'd have a transport waiting outside my house in no time. So, we got off the phone after that. I slipped my phone back into my pocket and grabbed the Omnitrix from where it was sitting on the bed. I walked back into the living room, where Mom and Dad still sat.

"Okay, I called Director Steel with a number from a card that he gave me." I said. "I think he can help me figure this out, so he's going to have a transport here for me soon."

Mom's eyes fell to the Omnitrix in my hand.

"Are you taking that thing with you?" she asked.

"Yeah. I have to. I think that it may be the source of all this, so I have to have it analyzed, if possible."

"Okay, just don't put it back on."

"Why not?"

"Because, if it really is that thing that's been causing all this, putting it back on will just lead to more trouble."

I nodded. That made sense. Just then, the front door opened and Gwen, Sunny and Albedo walked into the house. Gwen and Sunny walked past me without as much as a passing glance, while Albedo came to a stop and stood next to me.

"I thought you got kicked out?" he asked.

"I was given a second chance." I said as I turned to look at him. "And I wasn't really expelled. Someone else wrote that note and forged Principal Hannigan's signature."

Albedo's eyes widened.

"Someone forged Principal Hannigan's signature?! Who?"

I shrugged.

"We don't know. Principal Hannigan is looking into it."

Albedo crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, that's good. What about you? You sound almost normal again. Are you, you know, _you_ again?"

I shrugged again.

"I'm as normal as I'm going to be, I guess."

"Well, I suppose that's the best answer that I'm going to get out of you, huh?"

I chuckled in response.

"So, what are you doing? You look like your headed somewhere."

"Yeah. I'm going to see Director Steel. I called the number on the card he left me, and he told me that he'll have a transport over for me in no time."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

I thought about it for a second. Albedo had been really nice as of late and it wouldn't hurt to have him along if something with me goes wrong again.

"Yeah, would you?" I finally asked.

"Sure, man. Just let me go get my stuff put away."

He walked away from me, leaving me to wait in the living room with Mom and Dad.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

 _S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

So, after half an hour, Albedo and I arrived at the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier. We took a transport, that looked like a normal car, however it could fly. Not only that, the transport had like a "stealth mode", so it turned invisible. Don't ask me to explain either of those, because I can't. The S.E.C.T. Helicarrier was also in a stealth mode. Once again, I have no idea how that works.

Right now, we were being escorted by a S.E.C.T. agent (I guess) to God knows where. I'll mention now that I decided to keep the Omnitrix in my backpack and I was wearing that backpack right now. I thought it may not be a good idea to be seen with it on my wrist and I didn't want to carry it anyway. We were eventually led into a room with a desk, a receptionist I assume and Director Steel himself was waiting for us.

"Ben!" he said as he stepped forward with open arms. "Good to see you!"

He offered me his hand and I reluctantly took it.

"Director Steel, I should say the same." I replied as we shook. "But it wouldn't be true."

He didn't say anything as he retracted his hand and turned his gaze to Albedo.

"Albedo." He spoke to my brother. "How are you?"

He shrugged.

"I'm okay, I guess."

Director Steel looked back at me.

"So, what did you want to come up here for?"

I sighed.

"I've seemingly been unable to control myself lately. I've been rude to people and I almost got expelled because of my actions. I think the Omnitrix has something to do with it. Is there any way that I could have it analyzed here?"

He smiled back at me.

"Of course. I can have one of my lead technicians take a look at it. In fact, he worked on the original prototype that we made for the raid on the Forever Knights all those years ago. So, he possesses the know-how to mess with it."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks. That's good."

"But before that, could I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks, I don't drink coffee."

"Oh, come on! I insist!"

I sighed with frustration. I saw that there was no way for me to win this.

"Well, if you insist, who am I to refuse?"

Director Steel smiled once again.

 _Sometime Later_

After Director Steel got us two cups of coffee and one for himself, we left the reception area. As we walked through the hall, I took a drink of the coffee. After I did that, a door in front of us opened and someone ran out of the room. He slammed right into me, causing me to spill my coffee all over my jacket. The man also fell once he ran into me, dropping everything in his hands. I turned to look at him as he scrambled to pick up his things. Folders, papers, maybe technical data of some kind and oddly enough, a single vial of blood with no identifying markings on it.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed as he got up with his things and ran away in a hurry.

I thought it was strange that he ran off so fast without even apologizing. As I turned back to Albedo and the Director, I saw that he hardly even noticed.

"Director Steel?" I asked.

He turned to look at me.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Who was that guy who ran into me? With all of the papers and stuff?"

"Oh, he must have been in a hurry to turn in his data. No worries. Sorry you spilled your coffee."

"It's not you who should be apologizing."

I wanted to mention the blood vial, but it was no use. The man was gone already. I decided to take a peek into the room that he had come out of. Inside the room, before the door closed, I was able to clearly make out some kind of tank in there. And in the tank, was Savage Animo! He was just like he had been back in the summer! He appeared to be in some sort of suspended animation. But then, the door slid shut and I couldn't see into the room anymore.

"Hey," I spoke as I turned back to Albedo and Director Steel. "What are you guys doing with Animo?"

"Sorry kid, need-to-know only." He replied without turning to look at me. "You're not a S.E.C.T. agent, so I can't tell you anything."

I grunted with anger.

 _God, he's really rubbing it in._

 _Five Minutes Later_

Eventually, Director Steel, Albedo and I walked into a lab. There was only one technician in the room, and he looked to be middle aged. Then again, he had to be if Director Steel said he was one of the original technicians that worked on their Omnitrix prototype. As soon as we walked in, he noticed us.

"Good afternoon, Director. What can I do for you today?"

"James, we require your talents."

Director Steel nudged me forward and the analyst looked on with impatience.

"Uh, hi. Um, I need to get the Omnitrix analyzed and see if there's anything wrong with it."

"I'd be glad to. Let's see it."

I brought my backpack around, unzipped it and reached inside for it. Once I pulled it out, I handed it to him.

"Thanks." I said once he took it from me.

"Don't thank me yet. I'll see what I can do."

He walked over to his table, which was littered with many tools and instruments that I'd never seen before. He put on a pair of kooky looking glasses, before he sat the Omnitrix down on the table. The examination lasted several minutes, and no one said a word. Well, James let out several grunts and mumbled to himself many times, but other than that, the room was silent. So, I eventually decided to break the silence.

"So, have you been able to determine if there's a problem with the Omnitrix yet?"

James didn't answer for several seconds and I was almost about to ask if he had heard me, when he finally spoke.

"Well, that's hard to say. Because I don't think that this is the Omnitrix."

"Wait, what?" Albedo and I said in unison.

James began to wave us over.

"Director, you may want to come take a look at this."

Director Steel went to go inspect James' findings, so I went as well, Albedo being right behind me.

"See this?" James asked Director Steel as he pointed at something.

I couldn't tell what he was pointing at from the angle I was at. I moved to the right of Director Steel to get a closer look. They were looking at some kind of rectangular box structure on the underside of the Omnitrix, something I had never noticed before.

"You're kidding me." Director Steel said at last. "Is that what I think it is?"

James said nothing, as he began to pull the structure off of the Omnitrix. And as he did that, the Omnitrix began to flicker. It changed to jet black and red, then it changed back to its normal color scheme. It kept doing that, just alternating between color formats, until it stopped. And this time, it was jet black and red. It didn't change again after that. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I was looking at Albedo's Dark Omnitrix. I looked at Albedo, who also looked on with shock. Before either of us could say anything, Director Steel spoke.

"Cloaking tech? But only we have access to that kind of technology! James, have we been infiltrated?!"

James sighed.

"I mean, it's possible Sir."

Before they could say anything else, I spoke up.

"What is this?! Was I wearing Albedo's Dark Omnitrix the whole time?!"

Director Steel looked at me.

"I think that's what the results of this test are trying to say, so yes. Yes, it appears you were."

"But that's impossible!" Albedo exclaimed as he stepped forward. "I've had the Dark Omnitrix ever since I was born!"

I thought about what he said.

 _Has he really? The Dark Omnitrix, from what Albedo has told me, enhances the host's aggression and violent tendencies. All qualities that I had exhibited earlier this week, however, much more ramped up than how Albedo usually behaved._

"Have you really? Think about it. The Dark Omnitrix enhances your aggression and violent tendencies, Albedo."

"Well yeah, but I've worn it my whole life, so I've learned to control myself."

"That's my point, Albedo! You can control it, but _I can't_! If I'm the one wearing it, then I'm going to be unable to control my aggression and violent tendencies, because I'm inexperienced with it!"

Albedo just looked at me.

"You're not wrong."

Meanwhile, James and Director Steel were having their own conversation.

"Well, if the Dark Omnitrix is here, then where is the real thing?" Director Steel asked. "James?"

"I'm not sure. Unless..."

They both went silent. We both turned to look at them, to see that they were looking at us.

"What?" I asked.

"Albedo, can you come here?" Director Steel asked.

Albedo walked towards them, as did I.

"What is it?"

"Which hand do you wear your Dark Omnitrix on?"

"My left hand. Why?"

"May we see your left hand?"

Albedo lifted up his left arm, which was covered by a jacket sleeve, obscuring the view of his Omnitrix. Director Steel pulled back the sleeve, revealing a jet black and red Omnitrix, identical to the one on the table.

"Take it off of your wrist." James commanded.

Albedo did as he was asked and passed it to James. He took it and put it down on the table, immediately flipping it over, which revealed another rectangular box structure.

"Just as I thought." James murmured.

"What is that?" I asked. "Another piece of cloaking tech?"

James only nodded, as he began to pull it off. As he did that, the Dark Omnitrix he had gotten from Albedo began to flicker from jet black and red to the Omnitrix's normal color scheme. Eventually it stopped and this time, it stayed on its original format. I was staring at the Omnitrix and the Dark Omnitrix, sitting side by side each other. James placed the cloaking tech on the far side of the table. I sighed.

"So, that's it, huh?" I asked. "I was never wearing the Omnitrix? And Albedo was never wearing his Dark Omnitrix?"

Director Steel nodded.

"It would seem that the Dark Omnitrix was camouflaged to look like the real Omnitrix. That's the one that you were wearing, Ben. And the real Omnitrix was camouflaged to look like the Dark Omnitrix. And that's the one that Albedo wore."

I just blinked, before speaking.

"But, why? Why go through all of this?! What's the fucking point?!"

I was angry again. Not nearly as angry as I had been over the last couple days, but angry, nonetheless.

"I think the point was to mess with you. To make your life hell."

I sighed.

"Well, whoever did this almost succeeded. They almost made my life a living hell."

Director Steel grabbed the Omnitrix, the _real_ Omnitrix and handed it to me.

"Here, you can have this back, seeing as it's the real thing. Anyway, do you know anyone who would want to ruin your life?"

I nodded.

"A good amount. But they're all taken care of."

Albedo stepped up next to me.

"What about Clancy?" he asked.

Surprisingly, the mention of that man didn't anger me like I thought it would. I shook my head.

"No, not him. He's still in jail. Besides, Clancy doesn't possess the technical know-how to mess with the Omnitrix and to make it look like something it's not."

Albedo nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right."

I looked back at Director Steel.

"Director Steel, what's your opinion?"

He looked back at me.

"I think that someone switched the Omnitrixes while you weren't looking and camouflaged them, just to mess with you."

I sighed once more.

"But, why? Why do all of this to one guy? One insignificant guy in comparison to so many others?"

He shook his head.

"You're not insignificant, Ben. The Omnitrix makes you significant. As for why? Well, I suppose you'll have to ask this person yourself once you find them."

I shook my head as I put my hand on my forehead.

"I wouldn't even know where to start looking."

James finally handed the Dark Omnitrix back to Albedo.

"Well, despite all of it, thanks, Director Steel."

"Don't mention it, kid. Actually, while you're still here, I'd like to discuss a couple things with you. If you could proceed with me to my..."

"If it's about joining S.E.C.T. as an agent, you can forget it."

"What do you have against, S.E.C.T., Ben?" Albedo asked. "He just wants you on his team!"

"We've already had this discussion."

"No, it's not about that. Just please, give me thirty more minutes of your time?" Director Steel asked.

I thought about it. After what he did for me, maybe I should hear him out.

"Make it fifteen minutes and you have a deal."

He shook his head.

"Sorry. It has to be thirty minutes."

"Fifteen." I said through grit teeth.

"Twenty five minutes."

"Twenty."

He let out a sigh.

"I can see that you're not going to be easy with this. So, fine. I'll take the twenty minutes."

"Okay then."

"Now, can we please proceed to my office?"

I nodded and we left, not before thanking James, though. Well, I thanked James. Albedo just walked out. It seemed that he was back to his old self.

 _Ten Minutes Later_

Director Steel led Albedo and I to his private office.

"So, why are we here?" I asked as we walked in.

"Oh, that's a good question, Ben." Albedo replied. "Some people think that it's a cosmic coincidence and others think that there's really a God..."

"Stop it." I interrupted him. "I'm not in the mood for references right now."

"Hey, you asked."

I just rolled my eyes. Director Steel sat down at his desk. I stepped up to his desk as I continued looking at him with confusion.

"So?" I asked.

He picked up a remote from his desk and pointed it at something behind me. I turned around and saw a flat screen T.V. mounted to the wall that I hadn't noticed before.

"Look at this." Director Steel said as he turned on the T.V.

It was just static at first, but eventually it cleared up. Now the T.V. screen showed a football field. My high school's football field!

"This footage is from today's football tryouts." Director Steel said.

I turned to look at him.

"Why do you have footage of football tryouts for my school?" I asked with confusion.

"I have connections, kid."

"Connections? What does that even mean?"

"I asked your principal years ago to keep an eye out for any kids that stick out more than others. Either kids who are extremely intelligent or kids who look identical to each other. Kids who have alien watches attached to their wrists and Anodite-Human hybrids."

"I get it. So, Principal Hannigan knows who we are?"

"He only knows what I tell him. He's not S.E.C.T. personnel, so he's on a need-to-know basis. Just like you and your group are."

"So, that's how you got into his office earlier this week to talk with us? Because you're involved?"

Director Steel nodded.

"He sent me this footage today, telling me that there was a kid who outperformed all the others. Said he was much faster and more durable than all of the other kids. I've already reviewed the footage, so I know what to look for. Pay attention."

I let out a sigh, but turned back to the T.V. I paid attention to the practice game that the tryouts were taking part in, but I didn't notice anything. Eventually, Director Steel zoomed in on the footage, to a kid who seemed to be moving somewhat faster than the rest of them.

"There, that kid right there." He said.

I continued watching as he got a hold of the ball and kept moving. He was moving so fast. The other team's players were trying to get a hold of him, but almost none of them did. The one guy that did manage to grab him was shaken off relatively quickly. He had no problem in getting the ball to the goal after that. Director Steel paused the footage.

"Would you know anything about this?"

I turned to look at him.

"I guess it could be the new kid, Nathan Black. He did say that there were football tryouts today. Plus, I don't know. It just seems like there's something off about him."

"Nathan Black?" Albedo chimed in. "No way, Ben. Not him. He may be a bit annoying and somewhat of a jerk, but he ain't special."

 _Yeah, Albedo is definitely back to his old self._

I turned to look at him.

"You're only saying that because you're back to your old self. And you're wrong. I was the jerk. I deserved everything he said about me."

"So, do you think that this Nathan Black kid is the guy in the footage?" Director Steel asked.

I turned back to him.

"Maybe. It's possible, I suppose. But we can't get a good look at his face and that jersey doesn't have his name on it."

Director Steel didn't respond, as he began typing away at his keyboard.

"Director?" I asked.

"Hold on, Ben. I have to pull something else up."

He continued typing in silence, until he lifted the remote again and pressed another button. I turned around to look at the T.V. It was now showing the footage of my fight in the alley with that Loboan creature on Sunday night. Once the footage showed a clear shot of the creature, Director Steel paused it.

"There." He said. "That creature."

"What about it?" I asked.

Director Steel didn't reply. I turned around to look at him and saw a look of suspicion on his face. Suddenly, I felt like I got the message.

"What? You think that that kid, maybe Nathan Black is the Loboan creature? No way, Director. Like I said, Nathan may be just a tad off, but he can't be. There's no way that he's the creature. How could he?"

"I never said that. Do I think that he's the creature? No. Am I suspicious of him? Yes. Yes, I am."

"What? A kid isn't allowed to be capable of that degree of agility?" Albedo asked.

That made Director Steel unhappy. He stood up as he slammed his hands down onto his desk.

"How can a senior in high school possibly perform at Olympic athlete levels?!" he exclaimed, his face growing red. "Explain that to me! Tell me how that makes sense!"

I put my hands up in defense of Albedo.

"Okay, okay, alright! You're suspicious of that kid!" I said. "Well, if it is Nathan, then what do you want done about it?"

"I want you to trail him at school, learn what you can about him. But most of all, keep an eye on him!"

I shrugged.

"Sorry, but I'm on Out Of School Suspicion for the rest of the semester. I can't do anything about it."

He only grunted with anger in response. He turned his gaze back to Albedo.

"Fine. If your brother can't do it, then you'll have to."

"Nope!" he exclaimed. "Guess what? I don't work for you! Ha!"

 _There was the Albedo I knew._

Director Steel grumbled with anger.

"Fine then. One more thing before I let you go."

He went back to typing on his keyboard, before again picking up the T.V. remote. I turned back to the T.V. and eventually, I recognized what appeared on the screen to be that of the news report that I had seen this morning.

"Oh, come on!" I said. "I've already seen this!"

"Good. Then this can serve as a refresher."

I had no choice but to turn and watch the screen. I began listening to the same report that I had heard earlier this morning.

"Last night, a warehouse at the docks was breached by a squad of SWAT Team members. On the inside, they found something straight out of a nightmare. Over a dozen gang members dead, along with a few Russian men, possibly Mobsters."

I turned to Director Steel.

"Why are you showing me this? What has this got to do with anything..."

"Pay attention!"

I let out a sigh, but turned back to the T.V.

"It appears to have been a weapons deal, as there were several cases of military grade hardware. High caliber rifles, body armor and such. At the site, they found that the men hadn't been killed my bullets, but my teeth and claws, judging by the markings found on their mangled bodies. One of the gang members who barely survived the attack, describes what he saw as a giant beast, with glowing crimson eyes. He repeated those words several times, until he was approached by a SWAT Team member. He then yelled for the SWAT Team member to run before the thing that caused the massacre returned."

Director Steel paused the footage right there, so I turned to look at him.

"The gang member that described this "beast" died an hour ago from the injuries he sustained."

I just looked down with shock. He shut off the T.V.

"Something the news report didn't cover, is that there were dozens and dozens of spent casings at the scene. Whatever they killed those men had to have been tough. I highly think that the Loboan creature you guys fought in the alley that night and this "beast with crimson eyes" are connected. One and the same, to be honest."

It made sense now. Director Steel thought that the thing we had fought in that alley was the same thing that killed all those men. I don't know why I hadn't seen it before. I had previously thought that due to my recent behavior, my family might have thought that I had done it.

"The report mentioned a cargo container. Do I want to know what was in it?"

"A bunch of women who were clearly meant to be sold at underground auctions. However, they were all left unharmed."

I let out a sigh as I crossed my arms.

"What are you thinking, Ben?" Albedo asked me.

I turned to face him.

"I'm thinking that there's a new vigilante in the city. And he, she or it are taking it upon themselves to be judge, jury and executioner. I don't like it."

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but you used to beat thugs senseless with a set of batons, didn't you?" Director Steel asked.

I turned to face him.

"Yeah, that's true. But I never killed. The most I ever did was put them into the hospital."

The room went silent, until Director Steel spoke again.

"Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Go ahead."

"What did the Loboan creature look like? The one you saw that night?"

"It was giant. Black fur, glowing red eyes."

"It that it?"

I shrugged.

"What else do you want? It was dark that night. And even if I did get a better look at him, I wouldn't know. I transformed into a Loboan creature that's DNA was on the Omnitrix. I guess encountering the creature triggered a response in the Omnitrix. And I don't remember anything that happened while I was in that form."

"What about after you reverted back to human form? Did this thing say anything to you that you could understand?"

I nodded.

"He called Albedo an "impulsive whelp". Once he laid me out, he told me not to get back up, otherwise he'd finish the job. Once I didn't answer in return, he said that it was good that we understood each other."

Director Steel put his hand on his chin.

"What?" I asked.

"Hmm. A Loboan who can speak English. Now, that's interesting. Either, it learned English, which isn't impossible. Or, it's from Earth. That's the more likely option."

"You think that it's from Earth?"

He nodded.

"I think it's only logical."

"Before I let you two go, I have something to ask of you. I've done you many favors, so now I want you to do me a favor. And since you aren't an agent of S.E.C.T..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't do your dirty work."

Director Steel cast a stern look my way.

"Since you aren't an agent of S.E.C.T., I can't have you do work for me. So, I want you do something that none of my agents can."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Once you're back in school, I want you to keep an eye on this Nathan kid."

"What's so special about Nathan?" Albedo asked with confusion.

"He's important because if he is more than meets the eye, we may have a problem."

I shook my head.

"Not we, _you_. I'm not involved in this. I'll do what I can, but if he turns out to be more than meets the eye, it's not my problem."

Director Steel sighed.

"I suppose that's the best I'll get out of you."

I nodded.

"Yes, it is."

"Well, I suppose there isn't any reason for me to keep you boys any longer. I'll arrange a transport for you back home. Just let me know when you're ready to leave."

"Now would be good."

"Okay, let's get you to a transport."

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

Albedo and I walked through the front door, to see Mom and Dad waiting for us in the living room. Mom stood up first.

"So, did you find out if something was wrong with the Omnitrix?"

I nodded.

"It wasn't the Omnitrix. It was Albedo's Dark Omnitrix that I was wearing. They were both camouflaged. The real thing looked like the Dark Omnitrix and vice versa."

"How does that explain it?"

"The Dark Omnitrix enhances the host's aggression and violent tendencies. Seeing as I was inexperienced with it when I was wearing it, I went off the rails."

"How were they camouflaged?" Dad asked.

I shrugged.

"Not even Director Steel knows. All he knows is that the person responsible must really hate me for wanting to ruin my life. Director Steel also suspects that S.E.C.T. has been infiltrated, as the technology used to do it was cloaking tech and only S.E.C.T. has access to that."

Both of my parents looked on with surprise.

"Do you have any enemies that may have done this?"

I just shrugged again.

"None that I can think of."

Mom and Dad exchanged glances, before they looked back at me.

"What about S.E.C.T. being infiltrated?" Dad asked. "What are your thoughts on that?"

I scoffed.

"What? Did you actually think I'd care? I don't care if they get infiltrated or not."

Dad only let out a sigh.

"Well, I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised." Mom finally spoke when he didn't.

"No, you shouldn't. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go apologize to Gwen for how I treated her the other day." I said, before shrugging. "Or, you know, hear her say that we're breaking up. Again."

I turned on my heel and began my short walk down the hall. The door to our bedroom was only party open, so I pushed it open all the way. I saw Gwen sitting on the bed, petting Snowball, who sat on all four paws next to her. As soon as I stepped into the room, Gwen turned to face me and so did Snowball, now noticing me as well.

Snowball skittered away from Gwen, but she didn't jump off the bed. She just turned back to look at me, as if to see what I would do next. Once I stepped farther into the room, that's when she jumped and disappeared beneath the bed. I looked at Gwen, to see that she wasn't facing me anymore.

 _Deal with the kitty first,_ a voice tickled the back of my neck. _She'll be easiest. Your girl is a whole other level._

It had been a while since I heard the Omnitrix speak to me. I hadn't missed it. I nodded, which Gwen of course, didn't notice.

 _Right,_ I mouthed to myself.

I got down on my hands and knees to look under the bed, where I saw Snowball staring back at me. She was hunched on all four paws, just looking at me. I slowly reached my hand under the bed, which caused her to hiss at me. I slowly withdrew my hand.

 _Here I was, trying to calm Snowball and get her to come out, and she still acted as though she were afraid of me. Even though I felt as though I were back to normal, she still seemed scared._

Snowball drew back further towards the wall. I reached my hand out again and once again she hissed at me. Instead of drawing my hand back, I made a shushing sound at her.

"Shh." I whispered. "It's okay."

Snowball didn't move; however, she didn't hiss again. So, I reached closer to her. As I did, she drew closer to me and began sniffing my fingers, before eventually nuzzling against my hand.

"There you go. You know who I am now."

I drew back my hand and patted the floor. Snowball slowly came forward, out from under the bed. Once she was out, I gently stroked her fur before picking her up. I sat her down on the bed and began petting her once more. She remained docile the whole time, showing no fear anymore. She even began licking my fingers, so I knew she was no longer afraid of me. Gwen hadn't said a word to me and that unnerved me. I moved away from Snowball and sat down on the bed next to Gwen. She didn't even acknowledge me.

"Hey." I whispered.

She still said nothing. I shouldn't have done what I did next, because in hindsight, it was a stupid move. I put my hand on her shoulder, in the same exact spot that I had touched her when I wasn't in control the other day. She whipped her head around to face me. Her emerald eyes gave off anger, demanding for an explanation.

"I'm sorry. I was never in control of myself." I muttered, barely more than a whisper. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did, but I couldn't dictate right from wrong."

She didn't say anything; she only continued to stare at me, as if that wasn't enough.

"Gwen, I'm telling you that I'm sorry."

She still said nothing. I looked down, feeling as though I would cry.

"Please, Gwen. Just give me another chance!"

After that, we sat there in silence. But eventually, I felt Gwen put her arms around me, then hugging me to her breast.

"It's okay, Ben." she said at last, gently patting my back. "It's okay."

Hearing those words stunned me. Not because she was forgiving me (for what felt like the billionth time), but she said, "it was okay". And it was not okay. Nothing about what I had done was okay. I couldn't bring myself to understand how Gwen could forgive me, how she could be so loyal after the things I've done. I couldn't understand it, but I'd thank her for it.

 _A Few Hours Later_

The four of us were all sitting downstairs in the basement. It would seem that I had reconciled with Gwen. She sat cuddled up next to me as the four of us watched T.V. There was silence between the four of us. No one really had anything to say. However, the silence was eventually interrupted by some kind of hissing sound. Or maybe it wasn't hissing, I couldn't accurately describe what it sounded like. There was some kind of dark cloud forming in the room. Maybe not a cloud, as it was now taking the shape of a vortex. A bright green vortex.

"Um, just to be clear, I'm not the only one who's seeing this, right?" Albedo asked. " _Right?_ "

"No. We see it too, idiot." I replied.

"Okay, good. Then I'm definitely not hallucinating."

I snorted.

"Since when do you hallucinate?" I asked, without taking my eyes off the green vortex.

Eventually after a few more seconds, three people stepped out from the vortex. An middle aged man with a long beard, Gwen, who had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. And another guy, who looked to be a young adult, wearing blue denim jeans, a leather jacket and a grey shirt under that. I knew two of them anywhere. It was Old Man Ben and Gwen 10. As for the other guy, I had no idea who he was.

"Ben." Old Man Ben spoke at last. "It's been a while since we last spoke."

Gwen 10 just gave me a little wave, as the other guy, another Ben I assumed, just looked at me. I finally stood up from the couch, as no one had said anything yet.

"Yes." I said. "Yes, it has."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter!

* And before you guys start clamoring, no, this isn't Omniverse II or anything like that. We just haven't seen the Omniverse Crew in quite a while, so I thought it might be fun to have Chapter 105 focus solely on them. So, let me know what you guys think of that.

* What do you all think of Ben being back to normal now? And what about the twist that the Omnitrixes were switched? I know it won't be much opposed to the previous teasers that I've left, but the teaser for next chapter is going to be pretty mysterious. You'll just have to speculate on what it means.

* That said, I'm going to go though, so have a fantastic day and bye.

Next Chapter: The Winter Summit.


	30. Chapter 105: The Winter Summit

Chapter 105: The Winter Summit

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Five!

* This chapter is the Winter Summit, a sort of meeting for all of the Omniverse characters. I won't say anything else.

* So, let's get right into the chapter and I hope you enjoy!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _Ben_

 _The Tennyson House_

I stared at Old Man Ben as he looked back at me. Eventually his gaze left me and was directed elsewhere.

"Who's that?" he finally asked as he pointed behind me.

"Who? Sunny?" I asked. "That is a long story. A _very long_ story."

Albedo began giggling behind me.

"You said "very long"!"

I let out a sigh.

"Albedo, so glad that you and I are back to normal, but can you please refrain from the mature jokes?"

"Please do make the jokes, baby." I heard Sunny begin to purr from behind me. "They turn me on."

A growl of anger began growing in my throat.

"Stop it. Both of you."

"Seriously, who is she?" Old Man Ben asked.

I sighed in defeat.

"She's a clone. A clone of Gwen."

"A clone of Gwen? Your Gwen?" Gwen 10 asked.

I nodded. Old Man Ben just gazed at me with confusion.

"Can you explain just a little more? I'm a little confused here."

I sighed with defeat once more.

 _They really aren't going to let you avoid explaining this, are they?_

"Okay, she is a clone of Gwen. That was bred by the Forever Knights. With the sole intent of killing me."

The room went silent after that.

"Um, what?" Gwen 10 eventually broke the silence.

When I didn't answer, she ran forward and put her hand around Sunny's neck, as if to choke her. In response, Sunny put her hand around Gwen 10's neck.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I said as I ran over to them. "I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out!"

Gwen 10 turned to look at me as I pushed the two away from each other.

"You are letting an assassin, whose mission is to kill you, mind you, to live with you! What is there to explain?"

"I promise, there's more to it than that!"

"Then explain it!"

"She's as much as a victim as I am! When she was created, she was given no choice but to serve them! We talked her down and made her realize that she didn't have to do what they said!"

"And now she's living with you?!"

"Hey, she had nowhere to go and was a weapon that the Forever Knights wanted back! We had to hide her! What else was I supposed to do?!"

Sunny turned her head to look at me.

"Wow. Um, thanks for defending me, Ben."

"Um, you're welcome? That _is_ a compliment, right?"

"Yes, it is. Uh, eww."

"Yeah, you're not the only one who has a bad feeling right now."

Before anyone could say anything else, I snapped my head back as I looked over my shoulder. Of course, everyone noticed me do this.

"What is it?" Gwen asked. "Where? Where?"

"Someone's coming down the stairs."

A couple of seconds later, Mom walked into the room.

"Ben, honey? I thought I heard..." she came to a stop and ceased talking once she noticed our arrivals. "...Voices."

"Hi, Mom." Old Man Ben spoke first.

She only blinked before she spoke again.

"I'm not even going to ask. Whatever this is, I'm just going to pretend I didn't come down here."

She then turned around and went back up the stairs. Sure, I did tell Mom and Dad about my "adventures across the multiverse" or whatever, but I always got the feeling that they didn't take me seriously.

"How could you hear your mom moving upstairs?" Gwen 10 asked.

"It's the Omnitrix." I said, before pointing at my ear. "It, uh, enhances my hearing, as well as my other four senses."

"Okay, um, I dated my dimension's Kevin for a while. Is that a lie?"

I was confused.

"What?"

"Was that a lie? Did I just tell you a lie?"

"What? I don't know! I can't hear your heartbeat! I'm not Daredevil!"

She just shrugged.

"Eh, had to try."

I shook my head, trying to clear my mind.

"Anyway, what are you all doing here? It's good to see you all, but why are you here? Don't tell me that Vilgax has escaped or something!"

Old Man Ben chuckled.

"No, it's not that. We just decided that it's been a while since the war with Vilgax. And we're trying to get everyone together to honor the fallen."

"I'd love to. But there's a problem. I'm sort of under house arrest. If I leave the house, there will be trouble."

"What did you do this time?" Gwen 10 asked, as she crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk on her face.

"I nearly got expelled from school."

Gwen 10's eyes widened, and the smirk dropped from her face.

"What? How?!"

"It's a long story. And I don't have the time or patience to talk about it."

She said nothing else after that. Old Man Ben cleared his throat, so I directed my attention back to him.

"Well, technically you don't have to leave your house to go back with us to my dimension."

I thought about that.

 _He's not wrong._

I turned to look at the three of them on the couch behind me.

"I think we could spare a few hours." Albedo said at last. "After the week you had, you need to be around those people. I'm sure Mom won't mind."

I finally turned back to Old Man Ben, Gwen 10 and the other one. I nodded at him.

"Okay. We'll go with you guys. For a few hours."

 _Earth-21 (Old Man Ben's Dimension)_

 _The Bunker_

We had emerged on the other side of the portal and were in a very familiar location. I looked around my surroundings and eventually picked up on the fact that this was Old Man Ben's laboratory from the old Bunker. I had half expected there to be people waiting in the lab for us, but there was no one in sight. It was just us seven.

I turned back, to see the teleporter that had brought us here. The green vortex disappeared, revealing the wall behind the teleporter's frame. In fact, the teleporter itself looked different. The pad that was designed to be stood on was still there, however, there was some kind of hexagonal frame at the end of it, against the wall. I pointed at the frame.

"Did you uh, change the teleporter?" I asked as I turned to face Old Man Ben.

"Yes, actually. I rebuilt it from the ground up."

"Why? What was wrong with it before?"

"Nothing. However, the power levels needed to power it before were a bit high. We needed the energy of a nuclear reactor to power it post-upgrade."

"A nuclear reactor? Where did you get one of those?"

"Well, we don't actually have one. We just had to generate that level of power to power it."

"Well, how do the upgrades change that?"

"Well, it allows the portal to fire up faster. And the upgrade allows us to save power, so we can run a cord now instead of having to donate insane amounts of electricity to power this thing."

"Oh, okay."

I didn't really understand Old Man Ben's science project, but I didn't ask any further questions.

"Okay, so you said you almost got expelled."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"What did you mean by it?"

"Well, I..."

Before I could continue speaking, I was interrupted.

"Young Man Ben! How the hell are you?"

I stopped dead when I heard the voice. The person that the voice belonged to, they shouldn't have been there. I cautiously began to turn and once I did, I saw Old Man Albedo standing behind me. My eyes went wide.

 _Old Man Albedo? He's supposed to be dead!_

"Hey, your face says it all. You're thinking that I'm supposed to be dead, right?"

I nodded. He only shrugged in response.

"Hey, sorry to disappoint."

I turned to Old Man Ben.

"Um, explain?" I asked.

"Of course. If you'll follow me, please. The rest of you stay here."

He began to walk away, leaving me to have no choice but follow him.

 _A Few Minutes Later_

Old Man Ben and I were still in the Bunker, but he eventually led me to a stairwell that didn't look familiar to me.

"What's this?" I asked. "I've never seen this stairwell before."

"No, you haven't." he said as he took out a card of some kind. "It can only be opened with this card. It leads down to the sub-basement."

"I didn't think that the Bunker had a sub-basement. Where does it go?"

"Come with me and find out."

We went down two flights of stairs and eventually came to a door. There was an electronic lock on the door and Old Man Ben began to input a password into it. Eventually, the door swung open and we stepped inside. I immediately noticed that the room's interior was pure white, as if we were in an operating room. I noticed six pods of some kind in the room, all of which were open.

"What is this place?" I finally asked.

Old Man Ben was silent for a few seconds.

"The cloning facility." He said at last.

I turned to look at him with surprise.

"Cloning facility? So, is that how Old Man Albedo is back?"

He nodded.

"How did you do it?"

He chuckled.

"You make it sound like it's hard. No. No, it's not. All you need is a blood sample from the subject."

"Wait, that's it?"

"No, that's not it. That's just the easy part. There's a lot of complicated specifics. Don't worry, I won't bore you with the details."

"Um, thanks. So, that's how you brought Albedo back?"

"Not just him. Grandpa Max, my parents and Gwen's parents, too."

"Just them? What about the rest of our family? What about people like our cousin Manny?"

He just snorted.

"Our cousin Manny? You mean the guy we both mistook for Bigfoot at that one family reunion?"

"Hey, hey, hey! I never mistook him for Bigfoot! He just needs to consider shaving his back."

He chuckled, before he took on a serious look again.

"No, I can't clone them. I don't have their blood samples."

"But you clone your immediate family? They're all walking around topside as if the world never ended?"

"Well, the world definitely ended. But yeah, they're all here."

"Um, I'm confused."

"How so?"

"So, this cloning facility has been here this whole time? Like from the very beginning of the war?"

"Yes."

"And when your ex-wife passed, you just conveniently forgot about this facility?"

He shook his head.

"Well, I didn't conveniently forget about it. Look, the clones in the pods are only kept on life support if the power grid is maintained."

"Okay, that makes sense. But what has it got to do with my question?"

"Look, try to pay attention. The pods don't run on the same grid that the rest of the bunker run on. So, when we were attacked that night and some of the installation's power was cut, I forgot about the precautions I took. You know, I planned ahead for that scenario?"

His wording was a bit confusing, but I tried my best to try to understand him.

"Okay, let me get this straight. So, you forgot that the facility was on a separate circuit other than the rest of the bunker?"

He nodded and I sighed in response.

"How?"

"That night was so stressful for me, that I forgot about the precautions I had took and therefore, I chose to forget that this facility existed for a while."

I just stared at him.

"What?" he asked at last.

"So, you mean that the great Old Man Ben, our savior, forgot that he had a cloning facility? Well, during the time that you did remember it, what was that thing we had all about? The Wall of the Lost? Why have that if you can bring your entire family back?"

"The Wall of the Lost is there to pay respects if somehow the facility is destroyed. But I cannot clone my entire family. And I forgot about because of how traumatic the events of that night were."

I shrugged, but didn't say anything.

"And don't call me "the great Old Man Ben"." he said. "I'm not great at all. I'm a terrible person."

His response surprised me.

"Hey, don't say that! You're not a terrible person! You ended the war after all!"

He still shook his head.

"I mean I'm a terrible person because of how I couldn't even protect my own family."

I sighed, as I rested my hand on my head.

"Old Man Ben, let's not talk about that."

"Fine by me."

"So, can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead." He replied as he turned and walked out the door.

I ran to catch up with him. I ran out the door and followed him up the stairs.

"What about Kai? Aren't you going to clone her?"

He kept walking up the stairs without answering.

"Old Man Ben!" I called. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Well, aren't you going to answer me?"

He didn't say anything still.

"Come on." He eventually replied as he walked back out the door and to the hall. "Let's catch up with the others."

I decided that it was best to just change the subject.

"Yeah, sure."

 _A Few Minutes Later_

We walked back into the main laboratory, where everyone was waiting. Old Man Albedo was the first to speak.

"So, you squared away on everything now?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Well, that's great!"

I chuckled in spite of myself. Old Man Albedo had hardly ever been known to be cheery in the time that I had known him.

"Hey, there's one thing that I don't understand yet." Old Man Ben asked.

I hadn't understood a single thing he's told me yet. I turned to look at him.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"The last time you guys were here; Albedo was close to turning. What happened with him? Why is he normal?"

I pointed at Sunny.

"It's Sunny. Something about her keeps the beast within him at bay."

They looked back at me with interest, I guess?

"Like Marvel's Cloak and Dagger?" Gwen 10 asked.

I shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about Cloak and Dagger."

I turned back to Sunny.

"Anyway, something about her keeps him from becoming that thing. It might be why they started dating."

Gwen walked up to me and began to whisper in my ear.

"Or maybe it's because he was lusting for me after he was born. Seeing how Sunny is a clone of me."

I let out a sigh as I stepped away.

"Okay, okay. Please don't remind me about those days."

I noticed that Gwen 10 was giving me an odd look, so part of me knew that she had heard what Gwen had whispered to me. I cleared my throat as I looked at Old Man Ben.

"So, why did you ask us to come with you again?"

"Because we're here to honor our fallen."

I nodded.

"You said that. And I get it. I like the idea of honoring them, but it should be a yearly thing. And it hasn't been a year since the war yet."

"Yeah, I know. But all of us can get together and be in the same spot now."

I sighed.

"Well, I suppose that I should be glad to be here. When do we start?"

 _Sometime Later_

 _New Bellwood_

I had found myself in the suburbs that I had grown up in. Old Man Ben grew up here too, so I suppose it's more his neighborhood in this sense than it is mine. But anyway, they had walled off a decent chunk of it, maybe a few blocks in total? It looked really nice, too.

"Wow." Gwen was the first one to say anything.

"It's pretty impressive, isn't it?" Old Man Ben asked as we walked through the gates.

"Um, yeah."

"How long did all this take?" I asked.

Old Man Ben looked around before answering.

"Uh, walling off the suburbs took a little more than a month. Everything else took several months."

"Everything else?"

"Well, getting a permanent food source working, those are our crops and animal farms. Some people grow their own flowers for the community and of course, the people took the longest to gather."

"How many survivors are we talking about?"

He put his hand on his chin.

"Well, we hit the one hundred mark this month and it's early September now. So, it took about five months to get where we're at."

"Five months? That's not bad."

He chuckled.

"I appreciate that. Well, anyway, we should get to my house. Everyone else is waiting for us there."

I didn't argue with him. I walked next to him, as the others with me followed. A few minutes passed and we eventually came to what I recognized as my childhood home, albeit a bit fixed up, seeing as the house had been in ruins the last time I was here.

"You really did good getting this old place back together." I replied as we walked up to the open garage.

He chuckled once more.

"Well, I'm glad you like how things turned out."

I looked into the open garage, to see four people centered around a table, playing cards. I recognized three of them. One of them was Kid Ben, the ten year old version of me, I think Emo Ben was there and Kirby, the African American version of myself was there, too. I didn't recognize the fourth person though. She looked to be the same age of Kid Ben and wore tan pants, light colored shoes and a long sleeved blue shirt. Once I saw the ever-so familiar fiery red hair, I knew that this was a ten year old version of Gwen. I watched as the four of them continued playing their game.

"I'll raise you." Kirby replied as he picked up a few circular objects and dropped them into a pile of similar looking objects.

It dawned on me that the objects were poker chips.

"They're playing poker? Gambling?" I whispered to Old Man Ben.

"Well, not really. They're not real poker chips."

"Oh."

I continued to watch as the game progressed. Kid Gwen looked over at Kid Ben's cards, who sat next to her. She shook her head as she gazed at the cards.

"No, no, no. This won't get you anywhere. Fold."

Kid Ben looked at her with an offended look on his face.

"Dweeb, you can't look at my cards! That's cheating!"

Kid Gwen just chuckled.

"Oh, please, Doofus. We both know that without me helping you, you couldn't tell a good hand from a bad hand!"

I chuckled at what was playing out. I felt someone gently grab my arm.

"Remind you of someone you knew?" Gwen whispered into my ear.

I nodded.

"Yeah, it reminds me of how we used to fight when we were kids." I replied.

Just then the four of them at the poker table looked up at us. Emo Ben smiled once he saw me.

"Hey, there he is! The man of the hour! Come on, sit down! We need another player!"

I chuckled as I lifted up my hands.

"That's all right, I'm not into poker. And even if I was, I don't know how to play."

"Hey, it doesn't matter if you don't know how to play! We can take five to show you the ropes!"

"Although I appreciate the invitation, I must decline. Sorry."

"Oh, come on man!"

"Hey, drop it." Old Man Ben replied.

"Fine."

Old Man Ben turned to look at me.

"Why don't you take a look around, familiarize yourself with the town and meet a few of people here? Once you've done that, we're holding a memorial for our fallen at the Town Hall. Meet us there."

"How will I know where the Town Hall is?" I asked.

"It's the biggest building in New Bellwood. You can't miss it. Oh, and it says "Town Hall" on the front."

"It says "Town Hall"? No kidding?" I said with sarcasm.

"Very funny. Just do what I say. I'll see you later."

I watched as he walked down the street and out of sight. I turned to everyone that was behind me.

"Look, why don't you guys stay here and mingle? Get to know the fine folks I served with?"

"Served with." Albedo mused. "You make it sound like you were in the military."

"Whatever." I replied as I began to walk off. "I'll see you all soon."

"We can walk with you!" Gwen called.

"I'd welcome that, but I need some time to myself. Seriously, go on and mingle without me. I'll see you guys soon."

As I began to walk away, I heard a clamoring behind me.

"Gwen 10, play for me for a few minutes."

"But I don't even like poker!"

"Just a few minutes!"

I eventually heard rapid footsteps behind me, and I let out a sigh.

"Crap." I cursed myself as I came to a stop.

I turned around to see Emo Ben standing behind me, with a smile on his face.

"Let me guess." I spoke before he could. "You just want to preach your views on how the worst Spider-Man stories are actually the best stories?"

He shook his head.

"Nah, man. Spider-Man is out." He said. "Daredevil's my favorite superhero now."

"You know, Daredevil's pretty good. You can't go wrong with The Man Without Fear." I said. "So, what's your favorite comic arc?"

"Um, I'm torn between the Elektra Saga and Born Again."

My eyes widened a bit.

 _Maybe this guy isn't as bad as I thought he was._

"Wow. Um, the Elektra Saga is definitely an essential story. Especially with the panel of Bullseye killing her with her own Sai. As for Born Again, I haven't read that one. Although, I hear that it's ...interesting."

"Well, honestly I wanted to talk more about Daredevil's on screen appearances."

"Okay, we can do that. What did you have in mind?"

"The 2003 movie with Ben Affleck as the lead. I don't think that movie is as bad as people say it is."

 _See, there it is._

I let out a hiss of disappointment.

"See, you had to go and say that. Look, I don't really like that movie. However, I do agree with you. I think it does get a little more crap than it deserves. It's definitely better than the 2005 Elektra movie."

"There was an Elektra movie? I need to add that to my watch list!"

"No man, you really don't. That movie is a mess. Which is why we should move on."

"Okay, how about Marvel's Daredevil? On Netflix, I mean."

"Oh, great! What do you think of it?"

"Honestly? It's not that great. I've seen better."

That made my brain hurt.

"No, why do you have to say that?" I asked as I put my hands on either side of my head. "Dude, you have _not_ seen better!"

"Yes, I honestly have! I honestly think that the 2003 movie is better than the Netflix show!"

"No, no, no, no, no! You did not just say that!"

"Yeah, I did! I think the show is alright, but I honestly think that Ben Affleck did a better job than that Charlie Cox guy!"

"Hey, don't you say anything about Charlie Cox! He was better than Affleck ever was! He is the definitive Daredevil! All Affleck ever did in that role was pretend to be blind! That's all he did!"

"Alright, alright!" he said as he put up his hands. "Calm down. We have two different opinions, it's fine."

I let out a sigh as I tried to drop my temper.

"Whatever. Just drop it, okay?"

"Sure. Dropped."

Silence passed between us after that and eventually I had to break the silence.

"Just between us, I think the costume in that movie was done better than in the show."

"How so?"

"Well, even though Daredevil's costume isn't made of leather in the comics, I can't help but say that it looks more like a costume in the movie. It looks more like body armor in the T.V. series and I get that it's supposed to be that way, since he needed protection to go up against Fisk. I'd prefer that it actually looked like a costume though. I've grown used to it, but still."

"Eh, his costume in the show is okay."

"Yeah."

"Oh, did you hear? They're totally going to adapt the Born Again storyline for Season 3!"

I chuckled to myself and lifted up my hands.

"Okay, slow down there buddy. Season 2 has only been out for a year and a half now. And we still have The Defenders to get through."

"No, we don't! The Defenders already came out! Remember, Matt woke..."

"Hey, hey, hey! No spoilers! I haven't even seen The Defenders yet!"

"What? How have you not seen it yet? Where have you been for the last few months?"

"In a mentally unwell place."

"What's been going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Silence passed between us now.

"Look," I finally spoke. "I think I'm going to go. Old Man Ben really wants me to take a look around."

"Okay, man. See you later."

"Yeah."

I walked off, waving at him over my shoulder as I did. I continued walking for a while, until I came to a house with a wheelchair ramp attached to it. And out front of the house, a woman sat in a wheelchair. And I recognized her. It was Julie, this dimension's version of her that is.

"Well, hello Ben." she replied once I came into view.

"Hi, Julie. How has life been serving you?"

She shrugged with a smile on her face.

"Well, it's been alright I suppose. Life has definitely changed for the better since the war ended."

I nodded.

"Well, that's good. How's Cooper these days?"

"He's fine. He won't leave behind that technician's lifestyle, though. I've been trying to get him to do something peaceful, like gardening, but he keeps tinkering with little side projects in his free time."

I shrugged.

"You can't stop him from doing what he loves, Julie." I replied.

"Yeah, I guess not."

"Well, I suppose I should get going. Will you let him know that I said hi? I might see him later, but still."

"I'll make sure to do that. See you later!"

I waved at her as I went on my way.

 _Sometime Later_

 _New Bellwood Town Hall_

After some time of exploring New Bellwood, I decided to head down to the Town Hall. And just as Old Man Ben had said, I didn't have any trouble finding it. Once I got there, I was sort of surprised that the three I had come with had beat me there.

"Am I late or something?" I asked.

"No." Gwen replied. "You're not."

As she said that, Old Man Ben walked out of the front doors.

"You're right on time, actually." He replied.

"What are we doing here?" I asked.

"We're honoring our fallen. And informing each other what we've been up to for the past several months."

"What? Like some kind of show-and-tell?"

"Well, I thought it would be sort of fun for everyone to share what's been going on in their home dimensions. Do you not like that idea?"

"No, I do. It's just the way you said it."

"Well, it seems that you're on board. Should we head inside?"

"What else are we going to do?"

Old Man Ben and I walked into the Town Hall, followed by the other three. Old Man Ben eventually came to a stop in front of a set of double doors.

"The conference room is just through here." He said as he turned to face us. "Could I ask if Gwen and Sunny could stay out here?"

"What?" Gwen was the first to speak.

"Excuse me?" Sunny spoke next as she quickly began to approach Old Man Ben.

Albedo was quick to grab Sunny and pull her back away from him.

"Albedo let go of me!" she exclaimed with anger.

"Sunny, just calm down a little!" he responded.

In the meantime, Gwen continued to stare at Old Man Ben.

"I think you owe as an explanation." She said at last. "Why can't we go into the conference room?"

"Because you two weren't around for the original conflict. You guys aren't members of the original Rebel Alliance. You may not understand the stories we would tell today."

"That doesn't mean that we can't try to understand!"

"Look, in the future, everyone will be welcome in the conference room. But for now, we're limiting to the original members."

"But that's not fair!"

"Gwen, calm down!" I replied as I got in front of her. "It's just for this once! It doesn't have to be a big deal!"

She just stared me down with anger. She finally pulled away and stormed out of the building.

 _How is it that you piss off so many girls?_

"What can I say? It's a gift." I muttered under my breath.

"Ben? Can we go?" Old Man Ben said from behind me.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

 _A Few Minutes Later_

We were all inside the conference room now. We all surrounded a big round table. There was me, Albedo, Old Man Ben, Old Man Albedo, Old Man Kevin, Gwen 10, Emo Ben, Goth Ben, Kid Ben, Benita Tennyson, Kirby, Punk Rock Ben and then there was the guy who I hadn't recognized, who had been with Old Man Ben and Gwen 10. If I was being honest, I may have forgot about one or two people. I wasn't the best at keeping a headcount. We all eventually sat down at the table.

"So, do we all know why we're here?" Old Man Ben asked.

A few of the Bens scratched their heads, while most of us murmured in agreement. Old Man Ben spoke up once more.

"It's been a few months since the war ended and I'm sure that my home hasn't been the only place that's seen change. So, let's compare notes!"

No one said a word.

"Alright, since no one wants to speak, I'll start. Vilgax is still in prison, we have a thriving community, I've successfully awakened the clones of my family members and best of all, my wife is a couple months pregnant!"

A few of us clapped, while some others passed words of congratulation around the table.

"Congratulations, Sir!" the nameless Ben spoke up.

He scoffed in response.

"WWII Ben, let's do away with the formalities, shall we?"

I perked up upon the mention of WWII Ben's name.

"Wait, that's WWII Ben?" I asked.

The Ben in question turned to look at me with a chuckle.

"Yes, it is. I guess it's hard to recognize me without my aviator goggles, isn't it?"

"Not really. I'm just surprised at how well a military man cleans himself up."

He scoffed.

"Well, we'll get to that part later."

Old Man Ben finally turned his gaze to me.

"Well, how about you Ben? What's been going on with you?"

Everyone turned to look at me as I comprehended what he meant. I found myself freezing up as I noticed all of the pressure on me.

 _Do I tell them about Kevin's death? No, of course not! That's a terrible idea! The last thing I need is more pity!_

"Hey, Genius?" Albedo asked. "We're waiting."

I snapped out of whatever trance I was in.

"Right." I said. "Well, uh, senior year of high school has started for us and I have a little sister now."

Gwen 10 immediately looked surprised.

"A baby sister?" she asked. "What's her name?"

"Verdona. Her name is Verdona. She's named after a distant relative on my Dad's side of the family, I think."

"Well, that's cool that you have a little sister now!" Emo Ben chimed in.

"Yeah, it's a change of pace. My house is now filled to capacity, anyway. We have me, my parents and sister, Gwen, my brother Albedo, and a clone of Gwen, named Sunny. But, that's about it."

"Really?" Gwen 10 asked. "There's nothing else? That kind of seems a bit uneventful."

"Sorry. Not much has changed." I lied.

"Well, alright then." Old Man Ben replied. "Gwen 10, would you like to go next?"

She blushed and chuckled as she did.

"Well, I'm one to talk about uneventful stuff. Anyway, it's been pretty slow since I got back home. The only big thing is now there are two new villains terrorizing the city. Two twin girls that wear armored suits to wreak havoc. They call themselves Seven-Seven and Eight-Eight."

"Seven-Seven and Eight-Eight?" I asked. "That sounds like Sixsix from my home dimension! Is their armor colored purple and black?"

She shook her head.

"No. They're armor is pink and black."

 _I should have known that they'd use that color. It's such a girly color!_

"Anything else you have to report, Gwen 10?" Old Man Ben asked.

She shook her head.

"No, besides that, just like him, senior year has started for me. There isn't a whole lot more to say."

He nodded and turned to WWII Ben.

"What about you?"

"Well, the war may be coming to an end soon." WWII Ben replied. "The Second World War that is."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked. "How's that going?"

"Well, as I said the war may be coming to an end in the future. And that's because I finally did the one thing that America have been trying to do for so long."

"And what's that?"

He looked down with a sigh, before he looked back up.

"I assassinated Adolf Hitler."

I looked at him with surprise.

"You're being serious?" I eventually asked.

"Do you think that I'm not being serious?"

"I never said that. I'm just sort of surprised."

"How'd it happen?" Old Man Ben asked.

WWII Ben turned to look at him with a dark look on his face.

"Nazi Germany's Fuhrer is dead. Is that not enough?"

"No, I meant how did you do it?"

"I had to go undercover as a Nazi. Of course, once they found out that they're Fuhrer was dead, I was in danger. So, I had to get out of there before I lost my life, too."

"So, it was that simple?" I asked.

"No, it wasn't that simple. It's a long story and we don't have time for me to explain it. The main point: I was there for days, I masqueraded as a Nazi and in the end, I was able to get close to their Fuhrer and kill him."

"So, you had to go undercover as a Nazi? And I'm assuming that this was a special mission that you were given?"

"Yes."

"Why did they pick you for it?"

"They didn't. I volunteered for the mission."

"Why?" Old Man Ben asked.

"Because, we had been trying for so long and I didn't see us getting anywhere by continuing fighting on the front lines. And besides, they say that if you cut the head off the snake, the body dies."

Everyone was silent.

"That's not a bad way of thinking."

"So, is the war over now?" Gwen 10 asked.

He shook his head.

"Not completely there are still small groups of Nazis here and there, fighting over who's taking up leadership after the death of their Fuhrer, but their fighting should make it easy to wipe them out. One way or another, the Third Reich has fallen."

"Well, it's good that the war may be coming to an end! But, what will you do after?"

He sighed and put his hand on his chin.

"I guess I'd retire from active duty, turn in the Omnitrix and head home to marry the girl I love."

"Who's that?"

"Kai Green. The girl next door."

 _Jesus Christ. Why is it almost every other version of me prefers her?_

"You can't keep the Omnitrix?" I asked, ignoring the comment about Kai.

He shook his head.

"It's military hardware. It belongs to the U.S. Army, not me."

"That's unfortunate."

He just shrugged.

"Not really. I'd like to live a normal life." He said, before letting out a sigh. "That's it. I got nothing else."

Old Man Ben turned to face my Albedo.

"Well, what about you Albedo?"

He shrugged.

"Pretty much the same as Ben. Sunny, that's the blonde outside. I'm sure you've all seen her. Anyway, we started going to school with Ben and Gwen. And it would seem that having her around has made my virus go dormant."

Old Man Ben nodded.

"That's good, kid. Hopefully it stays that way."

"I would hope so." He replied with a nod.

"Is that it? Do you have anything else?"

Albedo shook his head.

"Nope."

Old Man Ben looked over at Kid Ben.

"Well, kid? How about you?"

Kid Ben looked over.

"What about me?"

"What do you mean?" Gwen 10 asked. "What's been going on?"

He shrugged.

"That a whole lot. Summer's over, so vacation is over, too, and I went home. Moved on to the next grade."

"And what grade is that?" I asked.

"Um, the _next_ grade?" he asked.

Gwen 10 laughed.

"You don't know what your next grade is? Really?"

"Why should I care? I'm not gaining anything from school. It's a waste of my time. All I want is to go hero, but I can't do that now because school's over."

I laughed myself.

"Come on kid, really." I replied. "What grade are you in?"

He sighed.

"Fourth or fifth grade, I think."

"Is that really the best you can do?"

"It's the best you're gonna get."

"Do you mind if I say something?" Albedo asked.

"Go ahead."

"At least, try kid. Try to do good in school. If you are in fifth grade, I promise that it's not going to get easier. And if you don't take school seriously, then you won't be able to go on summer vacations. The only thing you'll due is stay in the house during the summer as per punishment."

Kid Ben's eyes radiated anger.

"Is that a threat?"

Albedo shook his head.

"No, it's just advice that I would hope for you to take."

"Duly noted."

Old Man Ben looked around the room.

"Anyone want to volunteer to go next?" he asked.

When no one said a word, I let out a sigh as I rested my head into my hands.

 _Sometime Later_

"Come on, Ben wake up."

I let out a snorting sound as I woke up, to find my spot on the table drenched in my drool.

"What?" I asked.

I heard a feminine chuckle. It was then that I realized that I had been so bored during the second half of the meeting, that I had fallen asleep.

"You fell asleep, Dummy." Gwen 10 said.

"How long?" I asked.

She chuckled once more.

"Not even ten minutes."

I looked up, to see that the rest of the Bens were filing out of the conference room. I finally allowed myself to chuckle.

"Thanks. It'd be pretty embarrassing if I fell asleep in here and woke up alone."

"No one would leave you alone."

"I know, I just can't help thinking about it."

"Well, come on. Let's go."

I nodded as I got up from the table.

 _A Few Hours Later_

 _Old Man Ben's House_

So, we stayed for a while longer. In fact, everyone stayed for dinner. Right now, I was outside playing catch with Albedo, WWII Ben and Emo Ben. I caught the ball one last time and threw it to Albedo. I backed away as Albedo threw the ball.

"Bro!" he said as he outstretched his arms. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to head inside for a while! I'll catch you guys later!"

I turned around and headed up the lawn to the house. Punk Rock Ben sat outside listening to music and as I approached, he looked up at me. He stuck out his tongue and made the "rock on" sign with his hand. I just smiled and waved at him as I walked into the house. I saw that the living room was surprisingly empty. So, I moved into the kitchen and towards the basement stairs.

"Anyone down there?" I called down.

I waited a second or two, before I heard someone call back.

"Yeah!" Gwen 10 called. "Kenny and I are down here!"

I began making my way down the stairs. Once I got down there, I saw Gwen 10 sitting on the floor with Kenny. They were playing with one of those toddler toys, where you had to put the right shape into the correct hole. I also noticed that there was a fireplace now down here, with a fire going in it. It also had a guard rail or something, blocking it off so no one could get burnt. Gwen 10 looked up at me with a smile on her face.

"Hi!"

"Hey." I said as I walked over and plopped myself down next to them. "Since when has there been a fireplace down here?"

"I think Old Man Ben added it while he was rebuilding this place."

"Hmm. It's just that we never had a fireplace back home."

Before she could answer, Kenny reached out and tapped her with one of a star-shaped block. Gwen 10 looked back at him and she saw what he was doing.

"Oh, thank you." She said as she took it from him.

"So, what brings you down here?" she asked as she dropped the block into the star-shaped hole.

"Um, I wanted to talk to you."

Before she could answer again, Kenny reached over and tapped me with a circle-shaped block. Gwen 10 chuckled.

"I guess he wants you to play, too!"

"Yeah, I guess." I replied as I took the block from Kenny.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked as I dropped it into the according hole.

"Um, I've been having trouble back home."

She continued playing with Kenny without looking up at me.

"What kind of problems? Are you having trouble in the bedroom?"

I looked at her with shock as she looked up at me, where I noticed a sparkle in her eyes. I looked back at Kenny, who seemed completely oblivious to what she had said.

"Do you mind?" I asked as I turned back to her. "There's a little kid here!"

She chuckled as Kenny handed each of us another block.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist but make a joke."

"Don't ever let me allow you to spend time with Albedo." I replied as I dropped my block through the according hole once more.

"Okay. So, what's the problem?"

I began to think about where I should start. Before I could speak, she spoke again.

"Hey, before you say what you're going to say, can I say something?"

"Sure."

"So, I left this out for a reason at the meeting. But back in my home dimension, my version of Kevin and I dated for a while."

I could feel my face go a little pale at the mention of Kevin. Gwen 10 gave me a weird look.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Oh, yeah. You did mention that. So, how did that go?"

She sighed.

"It didn't work out. We broke up after a while."

"I'm sorry it never worked out. It was because of _him_ , isn't it?"

She looked at me as Kenny handed me another block. She eventually smiled with a sigh.

"Yes, it's because of him. My heart belongs to him, Ben. I love him. And yet, I can't have him."

"We'll bring him back, Gwen 10. One day, I know we will."

She just shook her head, not saying another word.

"So, what's your problem then?"

I let out a sigh.

"It's my Kevin." I whispered. "He's dead."

Gwen 10 looked up at me with shock. Kenny let out a confused sound as he looked up at her. Eventually, she looked back down at him with an apologetic look on her face.

"Sorry, kid. I got sidetracked." She said. "Look, why don't I take you upstairs to see your Mommy?"

"Ma-Ma." Kenny murmured.

Gwen 10 gently picked him up and stood up.

"I'm gonna take you upstairs. Say bye to Ben!"

"Bye-bye." Kenny replied to me with a little wave from over Gwen 10's shoulder.

I waved back at him as I watched them go. It was only when I realized that Kenny was now talking that I realized how much I had missed. I remained where I was on the floor, waiting for her to return. Eventually two or three minutes passed before she returned.

"So," she spoke as she sat back down next to me. "Your Kevin died?"

I simply nodded.

"What happened?"

I sighed once more.

"He died because of me. It was my fault."

"Let's back it up a little bit. I want to hear the full story, okay?"

"Do you know how the transformations put a strain on our bodies without the Omnitrix?"

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever we transform, our cells are ripped apart and reconfigured to match the alien that we selected. Then, once we time out, it's the same transformation, but in reverse. Without the Omnitrix, that puts an enormous amount of strain on our bodies."

"Well, I guess that makes sense. But what has that got to do with Kevin?"

"Kevin didn't wear an Omnitrix. He was an energy sponge, he absorbed the Omnitrix's energy one day when he shook my hand. And eventually, he became addicted to transforming with his powers."

"How can you become addicted to it?"

"I know, that part doesn't really make sense to me, either. But the point that stood out to me and made me worry, was that the addiction was killing him."

"How does that work?"

I closed my eyes and hissed with frustration.

"Gwen 10, I thought that you'd understand this. I mean, we both lost someone we cared about! You lost the love of your life and I lost my best friend! I thought that you would be able to sympathize with me! So, can you please stop pummeling me with questions and try to fucking understand?!"

"Okay, okay, alright! Just calm down, I'm sorry!"

"The transformations put a strain on the human body, probably even more so when the host doesn't have an Omnitrix. Think about it, you're ripping human cells apart, converting them to alien cells and then the same, just in reverse to revert back to human! And being able to do that at anytime he wanted, without a recharge, his body must not have been able to keep up!"

Gwen 10 looked at me still.

"So, how did it happen then?"

"I forbid him from transforming when we found out about his condition. Not even a day later, this guy, Dr. Animo mutated himself into a hulking monster and was tearing apart Downtown. So, Kevin disobeyed my orders and transformed for the last time. He reverted back to human form on a rooftop and he died there, while I was holding my hand."

She just stared at me with a stunned look.

"He just died? Just like that?"

I nodded.

"We think it was a heart attack that killed him."

She was silent for a few seconds.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry."

"Don't." I said as I waved at her.

She gave me a confused look.

"Don't what?"

"Don't give me sympathy. I don't want it anymore."

She looked at me with sad eyes.

"Wow. You sound just like me when I told your Gwen not to give me sympathy, when we talked about my Ben last summer."

I nodded. After that, she was silent for a few seconds.

"Well, how are you doing now?" she eventually asked.

"Well, I'm seeing a psychiatrist that works for S.E.C.T. from time to time. I'm on antidepressants."

"It's that bad, huh?"

I looked at her with a blank stare.

"I lost my best friend, Gwen 10. What did you expect?"

She looked back at me with an offended glance, but she didn't retaliate.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah."

There was more silence.

"So, you never fully explained how you almost got expelled."

"Oh, right. Well, I'll keep it short and simple. You know how Albedo wears the Dark Omnitrix? It's like a negative version of mine."

She nodded.

"Well, someone switched them. Some kind of camouflage technology was used to make the Omnitrix look like the Dark Omnitrix and vice versa."

She looked confused.

"So, you're saying that you were actually wearing the Dark Omnitrix for a while?"

I nodded.

"Yes. And it nearly fucked up my life."

"How bad was it?"

"Well, I was meaner than I've ever been, I almost got kicked out of my house and Gwen almost broke up again. So, how bad do you think it was?"

She just looked at me with a stunned look in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea who could have caused it?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know. There are probably a lot of candidates, but I can't think of who or what their motive would be to do something like this."

"You can't think of anyone?"

I shook my head. After that, she didn't say another word. I finally let out a sigh as I stood up.

"Look, I think I'm going to go find Old Man Ben. It's getting late and I want to get home. I'm still in OSS and I have a paper to write for my principal."

She nodded, standing up as well.

"Okay, I'll walk with you. He let me know that he was going down to the Bunker again. He told me that Gwen was sleeping and left Kenny with me."

"So, did you wake Gwen up when you took him upstairs? Should we go check in on Kenny?"

She shook her head.

"No, it's fine. Either Gwen took him back to bed with her or he's playing in his room right now."

I shrugged.

"Whatever you say."

We walked up the stairs, through the house and out the front door, where the game of catch was still going on. Albedo was the first to notice us. He stopped with the ball still in his hand and turned to look at us.

"Where are you guys going?" he asked.

"I'm getting tired and I want to go home." I said. "Old Man Ben is down at the Bunker and Gwen 10 offered to walk with me."

"Well, do we have to come with you?"

I shook my head.

"No, you guys can stay for as long as you like. Just make sure to come home at some point."

"Oh, okay. Well, see you later."

I waved at them as Gwen 10 and I continued on our way.

"Yeah. You guys have fun."

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Bunker_

It was maybe a ten or fifteen minute walk to the Bunker. It used to be almost a half an hour walk, thanks to debris and wrecked cars in the road, but they have been long since removed and the roads were clean now. We entered the Bunker in search of Old Man Ben and after a bit of looking, we found him in the Laboratory.

"Hey, Old Man Ben!" I called.

He turned to look at me with an annoyed expression.

"Not so loud, I'm busy!"

It was then that I noticed what he was up to. The teleporter was active, I could tell. And the vortex was giving off an image of some kind. I walked up next to him at the control console.

"So, what exactly are you doing?" I asked in a quiet voice.

He turned some kind of dial and then began to write type something into his terminal.

"I am tracking as many different versions of us as I can across the multiverse."

"What are you typing in there?"

"The coordinates for the dimension I just picked up."

"You can home in onto the coordinates of a dimension? And dimensions have coordinates? How does that work?"

I could see Old Man Ben's face grow red.

"Look, I don't have to explain everything to you. Even I am still wrapping my head around this."

"Well, is that what you're doing now? Peering into other dimensions?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

"Because, if there's ever another big conflict like the war against Vilgax, we may need help."

"Do you think that there will be another conflict?"

"Kid, I'm just trying to plan ahead. Now, be quiet. The window on the other side isn't too conspicuous, but that doesn't mean we should try to be noticed."

"Window on the other side? What are you talking about?"

Before anyone could say anything, the image in the teleporter's vortex changed. It now showed some sort of city. Actually, I recognized the city. It looked a lot like Downtown Bellwood to me.

"I think that's Downtown Bellwood." I whispered to myself.

Just then, a person swung into view on the other side of the vortex. The person was wearing an all-black jumpsuit, with red hourglass symbols on the front and back of the suit. It was obvious that the hourglass symbols were meant to represent the Omnitrix. The person let out a whoop of excitement as he let go of whatever he was swinging from.

"He could be promising." Old Man Ben whispered.

"Wait, that's a Ben?" I asked.

"It would seem so."

"Wait, how can you home in onto a different dimension and immediately find that dimension's Ben?"

"I analyzed the Omnitrix and once I did that, I found that the Omnitrix carries a very specific energy signature. All of our Omnitrixes have it. That's how I was able to find the coordinates of your dimension. I have the teleporter track the multiverse for any remotely similar energy signatures."

I went silent for a few moments.

"Wait, how does any of that work? That doesn't make sense!"

"I don't have to explain it to you! I've hardly wrapped my head around it myself!"

I let out a sigh as he began to type in the coordinates of that dimension, before twisting the dial on the control console. The image of the Ben in the black and red suit faded, while the inside of the portal turned gray and black, as if it were static now.

"Can you fire up the teleporter and send me home, please? I want to go to bed."

He said nothing as he continued to mess with the dial.

"Um, hello?" I asked as I cocked my head at him. "Old Man Ben?"

"Let me finish this and then I can send you home." He spoke without even turning to look at me.

I let out a sigh as I crossed my arms over my chest and waited. Eventually, I noticed that the image in the vortex had changed again. It looked like the inside of a bedroom if I was being honest. The only furniture of any kind that I noticed were a desk, with a laptop on it and a bed. That was all. And sitting in the chair by the desk, was a kid reading a comic book. Actually, I recognized the comic book. If I wasn't mistaken, it was Volume One of Ultimate Spider-Man.

"Don't say anything." Old Man Ben whispered. "I don't think he notices the vortex."

A few seconds later, the kid looked up from his comic book. I then noticed that he looked sort of like me, but he wore glasses and had green eyes. Green eyes that went wide once he saw us. I then saw his eyes roll upwards into his head, as he fainted. He fell backwards in his chair, causing the chair to fall over as well.

"Interesting." Was all Old Man Ben said as he typed down the coordinates.

"Seriously? You would consider him? Did you not see him faint?"

Old Man Ben turned to look at me as the connection was cut.

"Don't do that, kid. Anyone has potential."

"Anyone? Even that kid?"

Old Man Ben chuckled.

"You had potential, didn't you, kid?"

Gwen 10 began laughing.

"Wow, sick burn, Old Man Ben!"

He then turned back to the console. He began turning the dial once again and eventually I saw a new image within the vortex. Now, I saw someone hearing a black mask of some kind. They were also bobbing their head back and forth as if they were listening to music. He then turned his head ever so briefly, before turning away and then fully turning to look at us. It was then that I realized that he was basically wearing a Deadpool mask, but instead of red and black, it was green and black.

"Oh!" was all he said. "Oh, hello!"

He had my voice, so I automatically knew that he was a Ben.

"Nope!" Old Man Ben exclaimed, before the connection to that dimension was cut.

"Um, can we discuss what we just saw?" Gwen 10 asked.

"Um, let's not. Please." Old Man Ben replied.

"I agree. I don't want to know what I just saw." I chimed in.

Despite what we had just said, she continued on.

"It was like a Ben version of Deadpool. Like, Benpool!"

I clapped my hands over my ears.

"Please don't say that!" I exclaimed.

She turned to look at me.

"What, I thought you liked Deadpool?"

"I do, but that thing was not Deadpool! And Benpool is not something I ever want to think about!"

"I agree." Old Man Ben replied. "So, let's move on."

"Okay. Sorry." She replied.

Old Man Ben turned to look at me.

"Okay, I can send you home now. But before that, I need you for a few minutes. If you'll follow me, please."

"I can go with you, too." Gwen 10 offered.

Old Man Ben shook his head.

"No, I just need to speak with Ben alone for a few minutes. Ben, vamos!"

"See you later!" I said as I waved to her.

"Yeah." She said as she waved back. "See ya."

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I let out a sigh as I walked upstairs to the living room. Mom was the only on in the room, cradling Verdona as she slept. As soon as she noticed me, she sat up straighter.

"So, how was your little conference thing?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"It was alright, I guess. A lot of stuff to take in."

She nodded.

"So, what exactly did you do in this multiverse of yours?"

I shrugged once more.

"Oh, you know. I just helped bring down an alien dictator. Just the usual."

"All in a day's work, huh?"

I chuckled.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I'm sorry, but most of it just doesn't make sense to me. Can you tell me the full story?"

I sighed as I rubbed my eyes.

"Mom, I hate to be that guy, but can we do that some other time? I want to go up to the cemetery tomorrow and I'm tired now, so I just want to go to bed."

She sighed.

"Yes, that's fine. If you're really tired, then go on to bed."

"Okay. Good night. I love you."

"Love you, too. Good night."

I stepped into the bedroom and left the door open a crack. I took off my shirt, jeans and shoes and dumped them in a heap on the floor.

 _I love how everyone has just forgiven me,_ I thought as I grabbed a pair of pajama pants from the dresser. _I don't deserve forgiveness. I don't care if I couldn't control myself, but after all the things I said and did, I don't deserve any of this._

I pulled on the pajama pants, then grabbing a long sleeved cotton shirt from the closet. I put on the shirt and shut off the light. I finally laid down and got under the covers and let out a sigh. Before I could even get settled, I felt something jump up onto the bed, scaring the crap out of me. I immediately sat up and turned on the light, revealing a nervous-looking Snowball sitting on the foot of the bed, looking as though she were about to jump off. I let out a breath of relief.

"Jesus, it's just you." I said as I shut off the light again. "I almost forgot we had a cat. Come on then, come over here."

I patted the spot next to me and Snowball began to pad over in my direction. She came to a stop and nuzzled her head against the underside of my arm. She eventually snuggled up against my side and laid down. I watched her open her mouth and let out a small yawn.

"I hear you, kitten. I'm tired, too." I muttered as I yawned myself.

I put my arms under the pillow and tried to get to sleep, still thinking about the final conversation between Old Man Ben and myself.

 _Earth-21 (Old Man Ben's Dimension)_

 _Thirty Minutes Earlier_

 _The Bunker_

Old Man Ben and I were heading back to the cloning facility again, for some reason.

"Hey, let me ask you something." I said.

"And what's that?"

"Last summer, during the war, how come you never mentioned Nathan Black to me?"

He turned to look at me.

"Who?"

"Nathan Black? He, uh, has a slight Scottish accent and has course brown hair, if it helps. He just transferred to my school."

He just shook his head.

"I don't know who you're talking about, kid."

I shrugged.

"Maybe you haven't met your dimension's version of him yet."

"Or maybe he didn't survive the end of the world."

"Honestly, I think that's unlikely. I don't know a lot about him, but he seems resourceful. If anyone could survive the end of the world, I'd expect him to."

"Okay. Well, can we move on to the reason I brought you back down here?"

"Um, sure. It's not like cutting me off is rude or anything. Why are we back down here?"

He led me through the facility, all the way to the back, where there was a door that I hadn't noticed before.

"Old Man Ben, what are we doing here?"

He didn't say anything as he swiped his card through the scanner. The door opened and we walked into a dark room.

"You asked me how come I never cloned Kai." He finally spoke.

"Um, yeah. So, why didn't you?"

All of a sudden, the lights in the room came on, which revealed a single pod in the room, along with all of the equipment necessary to maintain a subject on life support. And unsurprisingly at this point, there was a clone of Kai inside the pod, floating in the chemical bath within the pod.

"I did clone her." He replied as he stepped up to the pod and ran his hand over the glass covering.

I was surprised now.

"Okay, then how come you never woke her up like you did the others?"

He was silent for a few seconds before speaking.

"Once I rediscovered this place, I eventually found her pod as well. And for a while, I thought that I would be able to wake her up. But now I realize that she can never be allowed to awaken."

I was shocked now.

"Wait, what? Why?!"

He turned to look at me.

"I'm not sure if she could be able to wrap her head around the fact that I'm married to another woman now and that I've moved on since her death."

I put my hands out on either side of me.

"Isn't that one of the things that she told you before she died?! Didn't she want you to move on?!"

He looked away.

"And there's the fact that I'm not sure what memories she'll have. The clones didn't have all the memories of their original counterparts and they had to be brought up to speed."

"And you can't do that with her? You can't give her a second chance at life?!"

He sighed before he looked back at me once more.

"Kid, I just can't. I think that it would make things awkward between her, Gwen and I."

"Don't you think she'd be happy for you that you got back what you had lost?"

"It's not up to you."

"And it's not up to you either! You don't get to play God, Old Man Ben!" I exclaimed as I ran over to the control panel. "How do I wake her up?!"

He ran over to the console and blocked me from it.

"She can never be allowed to awake, Kid."

"She deserves a second chance, old man!"

"I don't expect you to understand. But, Kid, really. She can't wake up. She'll never wake up. If she did, she may expect that she and I would get back together. And her memories may be from a few years ago, so she may not be able to handle the fact that I've remarried and moved on from a past that she can't remember."

I looked up at him with anger. Before now, I admired Old Man Ben. But now, there was a part of him that I hated. The fact that he had a clone of Kai and was not allowing her to awaken and live a second life, it sickened me. It disgusted me.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this extra-long chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* Let me know of what you though of seeing the Omniverse crew again! Or if you have any issues, you could inform me about them as well. Sorry that there weren't any updates for a while, but this chapter took a while to get out. But the chapter is here now, so I hope that counts.

* Anyway, that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a fantastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 104): Ben is back to being is annoying self. Albedo is back to his sarcastic self. Snowball and Gwen forgive Ben. So all is good on that front._

Thanks, Daniel. Ben is back to his annoying self? Well, I get that Albedo is back to his sarcastic self, he's always been sarcastic! But Ben being annoying? I never thought that he was annoying. I think my version has his anger issues and I want to work on that, but if he's annoying then maybe I don't know as much as I thought I did. Well, thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 104): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: When Director Steel's life is threatened, Ben is tasked with investigations. And he finds that the source is much closer to home than he would have thought.


	31. 106: The Assassination Plot: Part 1

Chapter 106: The Assassination Plot: Part One

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Six!

* So, we're on to a new story arc! I hope you all enjoyed the one-off chapter of the last installment. It was something different and I wanted to focus on the Omniverse Crew once again.

* Before we get into the chapter, I just want to make a notice here. This will be the last story arc in this Volume that I will consider minor. All of the arcs and chapters following this will be major installments that really impact the endgame of this Volume. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the arcs we've had already are not important in comparison to those that lie ahead. Actually, if there are any Chapters that are important, it's Chapters 99 and 100.

* I will also stress that not this arc, but the arc following may be confusing at first. Actually, it may be confusing for the whole thing! I don't really know how it'll go; I'm still working out the kinks. Just know that stuff may begin to get crazy here soon. With that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _Ben_

 _The Tennyson House_

My eyes opened and I began to sit up in bed. I saw Snowball lying down in Gwen's place on the bed. Speaking of Gwen, she wasn't in bed with me and her side of the bed was a mess. It eventually dawned on me that there was some daylight seeping into the room through the slightly open blinds. I had overslept.

"They must be at school already." I muttered, as I let out a yawn.

I got out of bed, as Snowball perked up. I gently patted her on the head as I got up and moved to the closet to get dressed for the day. Once I had gotten dressed for the day, I patted Snowball one last time before leaving the room. I walked out into the hall and into the living room, where Mom held a sleeping baby Verdona in her arms.

"Morning." I said in a quiet tone.

She put her finger to her lips and silently shushed me.

"Morning." She whispered back.

"Where is everyone? Did they already go to school?"

She nodded.

"I hope you enjoyed your sleep, because you have big day ahead of you. No time for you to rest."

"Great."

She looked up at me with a slightly stern gaze.

"You're going to begin writing that paper for Principal Hannigan."

"Okay. Let me eat breakfast first and I'll get right on it."

"Of course."

I then walked into the kitchen, in search for something to eat.

 _Sometime Later_

Once I had finished eating, I sat down at the table to start writing my paper. As I sat there, tapping my cheek with my pencil in frustration, I heard Mom get up and come into the kitchen. She stopped behind me and just looked over my shoulder for a few seconds.

"It can't be that hard, Ben. Just write about what you did and why it was wrong. Oh, and don't forget to take your antidepressants." She replied, before gently kissing the back of my head.

"Oh, right." I said as I put down my pencil and got up. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, Ben. Apologize to yourself. You do want to feel better, don't you?"

I nodded.

"Of course. Be right back."

I walked out of the kitchen and to our bedroom. I grabbed my bottle of antidepressants from the top of the dresser. I opened it and took out the amount that I was supposed to take. Once I had done that, I returned to the kitchen and sat back down. I continued right where I left off, tapping my pencil against my cheek. That's when I realized something. The psychiatrist that I saw recommended that I write a letter to Kevin, just to get my thoughts off my chest. And that's what I was going to do.

 _Kevin,_

 _I understand that you'll never read this, but I wish you could. Because I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I got you killed. I wish you could have listened to me, but you just had to come with us that day. And it's because I let you come with us, that you died and I'm sorry._

 _I'm also sorry for all of the conflict between us. How I was mean to you towards the end of winter semester last year and how I thought we couldn't be friends after what you were a part of. Even though you died before we could really be friends again, I hope that you consider me your friend._

 _I know that your death wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel guilty about it. You were my best friend; I loved you like a brother. And I know that you'll never read this, but I wish that wasn't the case. You'll never stop being my best friend and even though you're not here anymore, I take relief in knowing that you're no longer in pain._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Ben_

I put my pencil down as I finished writing. Staring down at the letter, I felt satisfied with how it came out. I looked over to Mom, who sat on the couch in the living room, watching T.V.

"Hey, Mom." I called out in a low voice.

"What?" she replied without looking back at me.

"Do you have an envelope?"

"Why do you need an envelope?" she asked. "You're turning in that paper by hand."

I shook my head as I got up and walked away from the table, waving the letter into view as I did.

"I took Doctor Nocturne's advice and wrote a letter to Kevin, to try to get my thoughts on paper."

She didn't look pleased as I said that.

"You were supposed to be working on that paper for your principal!"

"I know, but this was more important to me! I think doing this will help put my mind at ease, regarding Kevin. And I have all of Christmas Break to get that letter wrote anyway!"

She rolled her eyes.

"You're damn right you have all of Christmas Break to write it, because you won't be doing anything else until it's done!"

I just stood there as she said that.

"Can I have that envelope?" I asked after a few seconds.

She rolled her eyes again, but got up anyway. She returned shortly after and handed me the envelope.

"Here, just take it."

"Thanks." I replied as I did just that. "Now, can I go to the cemetery and deliver this to Kevin's grave?"

She looked at me with disbelief, as well as anger.

"What do you need to go up to the cemetery for?!" she eventually exclaimed.

I let out a sigh of anger myself.

"Are you really so angry with me that you'll prevent me from feeling better about myself?"

She looked at me still, looking angrier than ever. She stepped out of the way and pointed to the front door.

"Just go. You have two hours to get there and back."

"Can I stop and get a sandwich on the way back?"

"As long as you get back here in two hours, I don't care what you do. Go now."

I walked past her, deciding I should get out of here before I ticked her off even more. I walked out the front door and shut it behind me.

"Why does she have to be so difficult? I'm back to normal, yet she still treats me as if I'm a disgrace. She's distrustful of me, as if I'll begin being mean again like I was."

I let out a sigh and stepped off the stoop.

"Let's just get this done."

 _Sometime Later_

 _Bellwood Cemetery_

I let out a sigh as I placed the envelope that the letter was in against Kevin's gravestone. I stared down at it, feeling as though I should say something.

"I'm sorry, Kevin." I said at last. "I just wasn't good enough."

Of course, I didn't get an answer. I let out a sigh as I lightly kicked the fresh snow at my feet.

 _Wait, snow?_

I looked up at the sky, to see that it was snowing again.

"That's... odd." I finally decided. "I mean, I know it's winter and that it's supposed to snow, but this is a bit much. It never snows that much in Bellwood, anyway."

 _You're surprised? The way you humans think surprises me._

I heard the Omnitrix's "voice" in my head. In fact, I seemed to have been hearing it a lot lately. I recalled that it was even rare for me to hear it communicating with me in the summer.

"Okay, so what is your deal exactly?" I asked aloud. "You were almost completely mute during the summer, but once I put you back on, you were suddenly so talkative. Can you just pick one?"

This time, I didn't hear anything in my head.

"Yeah. Good talk." I finally replied with a sigh.

 _Sometime Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I walked out of the deli as I bit into my sandwich. As I did that, I heard a commotion coming from the other end of the street. I looked over in the direction of the noise and saw a blockade had been set up. And it wasn't a police blockade. It was a S.E.C.T. blockade, as it had their markings on it. Not long after that, I saw a familiar midget Tetramand step out from the building that the blockade had been set up around. I rolled my eyes.

 _Gorvan, Gorvan, Gorvan, what are we going to do with you? You managed to get out after that last beating that I gave you? And that was only a few days ago!_

"This is your last warning to lay down your weapons and come quietly! After that, lethal force will be authorized!"

I heard a familiar male's voice. It was Director Steel.

"What is he doing here? Doesn't he have agents who can take care of this? Or does he just want to handle it himself?"

I walked across the street before any of the agents could notice me.

 _I'm sure that they could use the help, but I'm grounded! I'm not even supposed to be using the Omnitrix!_

I looked up at the building in front of me.

 _But that doesn't mean that I can't sit back and watch the show,_ I thought as I wrapped up my sandwich and held it under my arm.

 _Five Minutes Later_

I had walked through the building and found the roof access. So, I had climbed the stairwell and gotten to the top of the roof. The building was no more than three or four stories tall, by the way. So, I wasn't really in any danger by being up here. I walked over to the edge of the roof as I unwrapped my sandwich and began to eat again.

I looked down at the scene below. Gorvan had taken cover behind a container of newspapers, as S.E.C.T agents tried to flank his left and right side. Just as I thought they had got him, Gorvan surprised me by getting up and shooting both of the agents at once with his dual wield energy weapons. Both of my eyebrows raised with surprise.

"Looks like I'm in for a show." I whispered to myself, taking a bite out of my sandwich.

But right after I said that, Director Steel vaulted over the container while Gorvan was distracted and nailed him in the back of the head with his boot. Gorvan fell over, seemingly having been knocked out cold. I forced a sigh of disappointment as I began to eat the rest of my sandwich.

"Just when it was getting good, too."

 _On your left,_ I heard the Omnitrix's voice in my head.

I perked up.

"On my left? What does that mean?"

I eventually decided to turn to my left and when I did, I was surprised with what I saw. I saw a familiar blonde, decked out in what I could only describe to be mercenary gear and she was also holding a lengthy sniper rifle. I could also see an earpiece in her right ear.

 _Sunny? What is she doing here? Shouldn't she be in school?_

"Affirmative, I'm taking the shot."

 _Taking the shot? What is happening right now?!_

Just then, she fired her rifle and seconds later, I heard several screams from the streets below. I quickly turned my head to look down there, to see that Director Steel was on the ground and bleeding from the shoulder. Sunny had shot him. I once again quickly turned my head to look back at her.

"What the hell did you just do?!" I exclaimed.

Sunny whirled around to look at me, finally noticing that I was up here with her. Once she realized who she was looking at, her eyes widened.

"Oh, fuck." She muttered.

"Yeah, "oh fuck", is right! Now, what did you just do?!"

She put her fingers into her earpiece without answering me.

"We've been compromised! I have to phase out!"

Seeing as she wouldn't cooperate, I began to approach. That's when the unexpected happened. A blue vortex of some kind opened and before I could say anything, she jumped through it and disappeared and following that, the vortex closed. I just stood there, staring at the spot where she had been standing.

"Um, what did I just see?" I finally asked out loud.

The sound of yelling from the street pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked down at the street, to a scene that surprised me. I saw a familiar, light brown-haired guy down on the street, standing next to Director Steel as he bled out. It was Nathan Black.

 _What's Nathan doing in the city? Shouldn't he be in school right now? Or has school let out already?_

As I stood there thinking to myself, Nathan quickly took off his shirt and began to tie it around the wounded area. But something was strange.

 _What is he doing? Is that what you humans call a tourniquet?_

"Yes, that's a tourniquet. How you even know that is beyond me."

I continued to watch Nathan, as the uneasy feeling remained in my mind. Just then, he looked up and began to scan the surroundings of the rooftops around him. He didn't seem to notice me, however. The thing that struck me as odd though, was his back. His back was covered in scars. Well, not exactly covered, but there were decent amount.

"Nathan Black, what are you hiding?" I muttered to myself.

As I continued looking down at him, a thought entered my mind.

 _Maybe Director Steel was right to be interested in you._

"Someone get a medic down here, now!" one of the agents exclaimed.

Something had occurred to me at this point. And that was someone had shot Director Steel. And I knew exactly who had done it.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* So, what do you guys think about the assassination attempt? Do you think that it was actually Sunny pulling the trigger? I would love to hear about all of your theories and all that!

* Well, anyway, I suppose that's going to do it for me. So, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 105): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 105): You're welcome. And what made you come up with WWII Ben? Will you write a side story for him?_

Thanks, Daniel. What made me come up with WWII Ben? Well, I'm a sucker for the concept of World War II never ending. About halfway through Omniverse, I began to toy with a similar idea. The fact that there may be a universe where the Second World War never ended and continued well into the seventies and eighties, the timeline that WWII Ben is from. That's really what made me come up with it. There wasn't really anything else. As for me writing a side story for him, it's unlikely. But I will admit that I may be able to do a limited series sort of thing for him, a short story, rather than a long, side story based around his history and all that. That's what may end up happening. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Director Steel survives his assassination attempt and requests that Ben comes to visit him. Ben tries to convince Albedo that Sunny is responsible for the assassination attempt, but he refuses to believe him.


	32. 107: The Assassination Plot: Part 2

Chapter 107: The Assassination Plot: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Seven! In this chapter, we'll see the aftereffects of the assassination attempt on Director Steel.

* I won't say anything else. So, with that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _The Tennyson House_

 _Ben_

"Mom!" I exclaimed as I burst through the front door.

Unfortunately, I didn't stop to think about what I was doing. Verdona had been asleep in her arms and once I burst in, she woke up and was crying now. Mom glared at me as she stood up.

"That's just great, Ben! I had just gotten her to go to sleep and then you had to barge in!"

"Mom, I need to..."

She interrupted me as she walked down the hall.

"What you need to do is sit down at the table and begin writing that damn paper!"

Once she was gone, I let out a sigh. However, I walked into the kitchen and sat back down at the table, seeing no other choice. I didn't write anything down on the paper, though. The only thing on my mind was the assassination attempt. Eventually, Mom returned to the room and came into the kitchen. She looked down at my paper and saw that I had done nothing.

"Are you kidding me?" she said with a stern look. "How have you not written anything while you've been in here?!"

I looked at her, not fazed by what she said at all.

"Mom, Director Steel was shot today!" I said. "Someone tried to assassinate him!"

Once I said that, the angered look on her face faded away.

"Wait, seriously?" she asked.

"Yes! Why would I make something like that up?!"

"Wait, how do you know about it? Where were you when it happened?!"

"I was in the city getting a sandwich when it happened. I noticed that S.E.C.T. had set up a blockade in an attempt to detain Gorvan, this midget Tetramand that is a thorn in my side. I knew that I shouldn't help, so I went up to the roof to watch the show instead. And while I saw up there, someone shot Director Steel in the shoulder!"

"Oh my God. Is he okay?!"

"I think so. A civilian rushed in and quickly provided their shirt as a tourniquet."

"What about you? Are you okay?"

"Yes. After it happened, I came straight home."

"Well, you did the right thing!"

"What do I do now?"

She looked at me, as she put her hand on her chin, obviously thinking.

"Well, as much as I'm worried about him, you need to get back to writing that paper."

I sighed.

 _I knew that was coming,_ I thought.

"But I can't just go back to that paper! The assassination attempt is the only thing on my mind right now! I can't stop thinking about..."

 _The stuff that I know._

I cut myself off as I thought that. She let out a sigh.

"Look, I get that you're all riled up and distracted, but that doesn't change the fact that you have to write that paper."

Before I could say anything in response, there was a knock at the door. Both of us looked in the direction of the door.

"I'll get it." I replied as I moved towards it.

She surprised me by stepping in front of me and blocking my path.

"No, you need to go write your paper. Now, get to it."

I sighed and nodded as I turned around. I sat back down at the table as I heard her open the front door.

"Oh!" I heard her let out a surprised gasp. "Who are you?"

"I'm affiliated with the Special Extra-Terrestrial Containment Team. The Director would like to see your son, Ma'am."

"I'm afraid that's not possible. He's writing a paper for his principal."

"The Director was very persistent, Ma'am. I'm sure that he can write that paper when he gets back."

Mom was silent for a few seconds.

"Let me get him." she said at last.

"Of course, Ma'am."

"Ben, can you come here?"

I put down my pencil, having not written anything and got up from the kitchen table. I walked through the living room and to the front door. As I reached the door, Mom turned to look at me.

"Director Steel wants to see you apparently."

 _So, I heard,_ I thought.

"Okay."

"You can write your paper when you get back."

"Okay."

I stepped outside, to see a man with black hair wearing some kind of light armor and I could see a jumpsuit or something under it. He must have been one of the agents at the scene if he's still wearing armor. Or maybe they were always like that.

"Well? Come along now, kid." He replied, as he turned around and walked back towards a black car that sat by the curb.

I let out a sigh, before I followed behind him.

 _Sometime Later_

 _Medical Center, S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

I impatiently paced outside of the Medical Center within the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier, a nervous feeling welling up in my stomach.

 _Why did Director Steel want to see me? Did he suspect me of attempting to assassinate him? He knows that I hate him, but he has to know that I'd never take it this far!_

As I paced back and forth, one of the medics came out from the Medical Center.

"Director Steel is awake; you can see him now." The medic replied.

As he said that, I felt a cold feeling wash over me.

"Oh my God, I'm going to die!" I said, feeling as though I was going to be sick.

The medic gave me a funny look, but moved out of the way so I could enter the room. Once I entered the room, I saw Director Steel lying down on one of the cots, with his shoulder area bandage and wearing a shirt, with one of the sleeves ripped off so that the bandage stood out. I now noticed that he wasn't hooked up to anything. No IV, nothing like that.

"Have a seat, kid." He spoke before I could say anything, looking at me with a stern gaze.

"You're not hooked up to an IV or anything like that?" I asked, not moving from where I was at.

"I'm not sick, kid. Just wounded. I don't need an IV attached to me."

"But you were shot. Wouldn't you need a blood transfusion?"

Director Steel looked annoyed as I didn't do what he had asked.

"Just sit down, kid!"

I finally did what he said and moved to sit down in the chair that sat by the side of his cot. I was the first to speak this time.

"Look, before you say anything, I have nothing to do with this! I may hate you, but I wouldn't..."

Director Steel interrupted me before I could finish my sentence.

"Stop that. I don't blame you for anything nor do I suspect you of anything."

I let out a sigh as I sat back in the chair.

"Then why am I here?"

"Someone made an attempt on my life. And I want you to look into who did it."

I wasn't going to lie. That was a ridiculous request.

"There's nothing I can do." I replied. "I'm under the high school equivalent of house arrest."

Director Steel let out a light chuckle.

"Smartass. After everything I've done for you, you owe me now. You're going to help find who attempted to assassinate me whether you like it or not."

I just stared at him.

 _It would seem that you have no choice._

I sighed at last.

"Fine."

"Do you know anything? Did you see anything today?"

 _Yeah. I saw Sunny shoot you. She's the one. She's the culprit here. But I can't tell you that. I have to talk to her and investigate this. This is something I have to do myself._

"Kid?"

Director Steel snapped his fingers in front of my face, which snapped me out of it.

"No, I don't know anything. I didn't see anything." I said at last. "I'm sorry."

Director Steel sat back in his cot with an annoyed sigh.

"Well, you should keep your eyes open. Pay attention."

"That's all you want me to do? Pay attention and keep my eyes open? Try to connect the dots and find who did this to you?"

"Someone tried to kill me." He repeated. "And I want to know who. Seeing as I've done tons of shit for you, you can do one favor for me. Work our way up to being even."

 _Even, that fucking asshole._

"Sure." I said at last. "Whatever you want."

"Once you figure something out, you will report back to me. Understand?"

I nodded without a word.

"Good. You can go then, kid. Get yourself busy."

 _One Hour Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I opened the front door as I finally got back home. I hadn't even been in the house for ten seconds, before Albedo came into my view and ran up to me.

"Is it true?" he asked. "Was Director Steel shot?!"

I stared at him with surprise before I answered.

"Yes, someone attempted to assassinate Director Steel. But he's fine. For one, I talked to him just an hour ago, he wants me to figure out who tried to kill him. And for two, Nathan Black was in the city when it happened. He provided his shirt as a tourniquet."

That seemed to surprise him.

"What was he doing in the city?"

"How should I know? Besides, whatever he was doing in the city, that's his business. It's not my business and it certainly isn't your business."

"Okay, but what about Director Steel? He wants you to find out who made an attempt on his life? How does he expect you to do that?"

I sighed.

"I already know who tried to kill him. He just doesn't know it."

"Well, that's great! So, who tried to kill him?"

I looked around, uncomfortable with telling him about what Sunny did with so many people around.

"Could I talk to you outside?" I asked as I gripped his forearm.

"You need to get back to work, Ben." Mom spoke up.

"Not right this second, I just need a moment with Albedo."

"You can talk with him when you're done with your work."

"This is more important than that damn paper." I said as I opened the door and walked out, pulling him along with me. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Once we were outside, he shut the door behind us and turned to look at me.

"So, who is it? Who's the guy?"

"You'll think I'm crazy, Albedo."

"Dude, I'm your brother. Lay it on me."

I just looked at him, before I finally spoke.

"It's Sunny."

He stared back at me with disbelief, before he began laughing.

"That's a good one, Ben! You almost got me!"

I continued to stare at him, not saying a word. The humored look on his face eventually faded and some of the color left from his face.

"You're being serious?"

I nodded.

"That's bullshit." He eventually said. "I don't believe you."

"I saw her, Albedo."

"You imagined it."

"I know what I saw! When I was on that roof, she was there with a sniper rifle and shot Director Steel in the shoulder!"

"It can't be her!"

"It was her! I saw her!"

"You're lying! You know what it is? For the first time in my life, I actually feel like I belong! I love Sunny and you still can't get over the fact that I want to spend my life with a former enemy!"

"No, it's not that! I'm somewhat starting to trust Sunny! I..."

"You somewhat trust her? When did you start trusting her?"

"When Gwen and I were going through that rough patch, when we temporarily broke up, she consoled me! She offered me words of comfort when you wouldn't!"

"That's not trust! You can't trust someone just because they consoled you! So, you can't say that you trust her!"

I didn't know what to say. So, I didn't say anything.

"What makes you think it was her, anyway?!"

"No, I don't think, I _know_ it was her! I saw her shoot him with my own eyes!"

"You imagined it!"

"Albedo, I'm telling you it's her! I wouldn't make up something like this! I swear, I wouldn't lie to..."

Before I could finish, he pushed me off of the stoop. I landed hard on my behind, on the concrete below.

"What the hell?!" I asked as I looked up at him.

"Fuck you, Ben!" he exclaimed, pointing down at me. "You're just pinning the blame onto the person who you hate most, to try to make her life harder!"

I shook my head.

"I am not! I..."

"Stay away from me! I don't want to hear anymore of your bullshit theories!"

He spun around and walked back into the house. I remained on my behind, as I stared at the door. Finally, I decided that I should get back up and go back into the house.

 _Two Hours Later_

After an hour and a half, I finally finished my letter to Principal Hannigan. Now I just needed to turn it in when I got back from my OSS. We had just gotten done eating dinner and Albedo had gone to wash his hands in the bathroom, leaving Sunny by herself in the living room. So, this was the perfect opportunity for me to talk with her.

I stepped forward and grabbed her arm with force. She immediately turned to look at me, with an angry look burning in her eyes. However, once she saw the serious look on my face, for the first time, I saw a slightly fearful look appear on her face. But that look was quickly dropped, and she looked serious now.

"I need to have a talk with you." I muttered.

She stared back for a few seconds, before speaking herself.

"Okay. Meet me at Mr. Smoothies Diner. Tonight, at nine thirty."

"See you there." I muttered again.

I let go of her arm and she walked away, all of this going on before Albedo returned to the room.

 _?_

 _Sometime Later_

 _Elsewhere_

I sat in a mostly dim room, looking at a decently sized glass window. However, the room on the other side of the window was dark, so I couldn't see into it. As I stared at the window, a filtered voice spoke through an intercom.

"What has happened to you? You used to be such a great shot."

"I still am." I spoke up.

"Oh? Then how it is I always tell you to aim for the head and this time, you shot him in the shoulder?"

I looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was just distracted, is all."

"Distracted?"

I nodded, knowing full well he could see me.

"Oh, I think I get it. Look, I know you miss him. Believe me, so do I. But you can't think about him. It distracts you."

"I said I was sorry for screwing up the mission. What else do you want?"

He didn't answer me.

"You know what? I'm not angry with you. At least, not that angry, anyway."

I looked up at the window.

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not."

The lights on the other side of the window finally turned on and standing on the other side, there was a man. He was wearing some type of futuristic green armor, along with a visor that was colored blue, so you couldn't see his eyes on the other side of the visor. He made the armor himself and it was inspired by a suit of armor from a popular video game that he used to play.

"Maybe we can use your screw up to our advantage."

I looked at him and eventually nodded.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter!

* What did you guys think? What do you guys think is going on with the final scene there?

* Well, that's about all I got. So, I'm going to go though, so have a fantastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 106): And another great chapter congrats I don't think Sunny tried to kill Director Steel just another clone Or Sunny just from future. BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. Interesting theories, I like them. But I won't confirm or de-confirm anything, as that could be spoiling. And I won't do that. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _annihalator2015:_ _Hello readers! As my friend Spidey here has mentioned before, I am the creator of Nathan and all characters personally affiliated with him that have yet to appear in the story. I have also been a beta reader for multiple chapters, giving Spidey my feedback so he can refine them a bit more before releasing the finished product to the public (you loyal readers.)_ __

 _I would greatly appreciate you guys and gals showing me some love, as Nathan and affiliates will be a permanent fixture in the story from now on, and Nathan will eventually become part of the main cast, in time. However I will leave just how important of a main character he is vague for the time being, until a certain few chapters are released that will shed light on the answer, which will surprise some of you. If you would like to ask me any questions concerning Nathan, you may message me to give me your inquiries. As for the direction that this volume will take, I have no comment. And if you would like some tips, pointers, or help with a Fanfic you yourself may be writing at this point in time, you are quite welcome to ask me if you want to._ __

 _Thank you all for your time, if you chose to read this entire thing, and please, do not hesitate to ask any questions about Nathan, or put voice to any concerns you may have about him. I will answer each of you to the best of my ability. Have a very nice day._

Thank you, annihalator. As my friend said, he's the creator of Nathan. Please, show him some love. He's not going anywhere and he's contributing to the story a lot. He's been pointing things out that I would never think to notice. So, please. Do acknowledge him. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Chyllen (Chapter 1): To much damn angst understandable angst but still too much for me_

Thanks, Chyllen. I get that there's too much angst for you, I get that this story isn't for everyone. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben voices his suspicions to Sunny about the assassination attempt on Director Steel. Ben reads a newspaper about new sightings of a creature in the city. Meanwhile, a rift is built between Ben and Albedo. Albedo refuses to hear Ben out and tries not to allow him to get to him.


	33. 108: The Assassination Plot: Part 3

Chapter 108: The Assassination Plot: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Eight!

* I can't really say anything about what to expect in this chapter. So, if I can't say anything, let's just get right into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _The Tennyson House_

 _Ben_

It was nearing the time for me to leave and meet Sunny at Mr. Smoothie's Diner. I began walking towards the front door, when a voice stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turned to my left, to see Mom sitting on the couch.

"I'm going out."

"Do you want to be a little more specific?"

I looked down at the floor with a sigh and then looked back up at her.

"I'm going out to Mr. Smoothie's Diner."

"But we had dinner already."

"Sunny asked me to meet her there. She and I have to talk."

She shook her head.

"No. Why can't you guys talk here?"

I shrugged.

"I just need to talk with her. I need to talk with her in a quiet, public place where..."

"No. Whatever it is can wait till the morning. You don't need to be out this close to your curfew."

"This is important, okay? I need to go talk to her and she's already left the house! We may be a little late to get back here, but I have to go talk to her!"

"I told you, whatever this is can wait until tomorrow."

"It has to be now! It can't wait!"

"No."

"Mom!"

She looked back at me, now with an angry glance.

"Fine. You have one hour and one hour only. If you get back here any later than that, you are grounded for the entirety of Christmas Break. Do you understand me?"

I nodded without a word, but that wasn't enough for her.

"Do you understand me?!"

"Yes." I replied in an irritated tone.

She waved her hand.

"Go and get back on time. You won't want to face the consequences."

I didn't need her to tell me to go now. I turned to the door, opened it and walked outside. Upon walking outside, I noticed that it was still snowing. I just sighed and tried not to think about it.

 _Sometime Later_

 _Mr. Smoothie's Diner_

Once I got to my car, I headed to the diner. And once I got there, I entered the diner, to find that Sunny was waiting for me in one of the booths towards one end of the diner. I walked over and sat down across from her. Neither of us spoke for a few seconds.

"Well?" she finally spoke. "What was so important that you needed to talk to me about?"

"What are you playing at, Sunny?"

She looked up at me with surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't bullshit me. I know what you did."

Sunny stared at me with confusion for a few seconds.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit. I'm not stupid. I know exactly what you've done."

She looked at me now with an angry look.

"I seriously have no idea what you're talking about, Ben!"

I rolled my eyes, but leaned closer to her anyway. I spoke to her in a hushed voice.

"I saw you in the city today take a shot at Director Steel. You attempted to assassinate him."

She looked back at me with surprise, the look of anger on her face was now gone.

"What are you talking about?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"On the rooftops today. I saw you. You tried to kill Director Steel. You shot him in the shoulder!"

"I was at school with Gwen and Albedo all day today!"

"I call bullshit. I don't believe you."

Sunny leaned backed in her chair, an annoyed look now present on her face.

"Is there any way that I can convince you?"

"Probably not."

She looked down at the table. As she did that, a waitress stopped by the table.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked.

I looked over the menu that sat in front of me and eventually requested a standard regular smoothie, handing her the menu once I was done. Once she walked away, Sunny spoke again.

"Look, I don't know what you saw on that rooftop today, but it wasn't me! I was at school!"

"Talk if you want to talk, Sunny. I've made up my mind about you."

"And you don't believe me?"

"Why should I?"

"I can't believe that you just won't hear me out! I've turned over a new leaf, Ben!"

After she said that, the waitress came back around with my smoothie.

"Thanks." I said as she sat it down in front of me.

"You're welcome." She replied, before walking away.

I looked back at Sunny.

"Before today, I would have believed you. I would have seen it myself. But after what I saw today, I have to say that you've taken a step back."

"I've taken a step back?"

I took a drink from my smoothie. I took several drinks, actually.

"You're going back to your old methods, Sunny. Here I thought that you had gone clean and now you're doing assassination missions?"

She said nothing. I facepalmed as I groaned.

"Sunny, please. Don't tell me that you're working for _them_ again!"

She gave me an angry look.

"God, Ben! Do you really have to ask me that? No, I'm not working for _them_ again!"

I leaned back in the booth.

"I don't believe you."

"You don't believe anything I tell you, Ben."

"Now, that's a fact."

She didn't say anything after that. And so, we sat there in silence.

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

We both got back about a half hour later. I walked back into the house, where Mom was still sitting on the couch.

"Did you find out what you needed to find out?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"Nope. Good night."

"Good night."

I walked to into our room and shut the door behind me. I flicked on the light switch and saw that Gwen was already asleep under the covers. I made a mental note to be quick in changing into pajamas and turning the lights out once more. Once I had gotten into my pajamas, I sat down on my side of the bed, set my phone down on the nightstand after connecting to its charger and shut out the lights.

I got under the covers and rolled onto my side, facing the closet door. I hadn't been laying there for even one minute before it happened. Gwen rolled over beside me and hugged herself up against my back. I put one of my hands under my pillow and I rested my other hand on my shoulder. A few seconds after that, Gwen took my hand and squeezed it. We didn't say anything. We just laid there in silence as we fell asleep.

 _The Next Morning_

I woke up early the next morning. Gwen was still asleep, and I managed to get out of her grip without waking her. The digital clock on my phone told me that it was seven in the morning. I didn't have to go to school today, yet I didn't see the point in going back to sleep and wasting another few hours on sleep, when I could have been doing something else while I was awake.

I got up from the bed, opened the door, stepped out into the hall and then quietly shut the door behind me. I walked into the living room and was surprised to see Mom sitting on the couch, watching T.V.

"Did you even sleep last night?" I asked.

She gave me a look.

"I have a baby that isn't more than a couple weeks old, my son and three other teenagers in this house that I have to wrangle. Of course, I slept."

I just stared back after what she said.

"Sorry." I said at last.

She nodded without a word as she looked back at the T.V.

"It's snowing." She said. "All of the major highways have piled up with ice and snow. We're frozen in, again."

"Well, at least the last day was yesterday, right?"

She nodded a few seconds later.

"At least."

I looked around the room, not seeing anything worth doing.

"I'm going to go eat breakfast." I said as I turned around and walked into the kitchen.

"Okay."

 _Twenty Minutes Later_

I had almost finished eating dinner, when Sunny walked into the kitchen. Without a word, she came up to me and sat a small, folded up piece of paper next to me. I looked up at her, as she turned to avoid my gaze.

"What is this?" I asked as I lifted it up.

She began to walk away, still avoiding my gaze.

"Sunny!" I silently called out to her.

She didn't say anything, nor did she turn to face me. She just rounded the corner and disappeared out of view behind the wall that blocked some of the living room from view of the kitchen. I looked down at the folded piece of paper and decided to open it. On the inside, there was a note scribbled out. It said:

 _You really want answers? Fine. Meet me on the rooftop of The Bellwood Post in one hour._

I turned my head to look in the direction that Sunny had gone in.

"And she couldn't have just verbally told me that? God damn it."

 _Women are confusing._

"That we agree on." I whispered, before turning back to finish my breakfast.

 _Sometime Later_

I had gotten dressed and left my room. I was wearing warm clothing. Along with a cotton long sleeved shirt, jeans, and snow boots, I wore a scarf, a beanie and gloves. On the way to the front door, I ran into Mom again.

"So, where are you headed to this time?" she asked.

"I'm just going for a walk. I need some air."

She looked at me for a few seconds, before speaking.

"Fine. Be safe."

I was surprised. I had fully expected her to say that I couldn't go out.

"I will. I won't be gone for that long."

I turned to the door, opened it and stepped out.

 _8:30 A.M._

 _Downtown Bellwood – The Bellwood Post's Building_

I stood on the roof of The Bellwood Post's Building. And yet, with all of the warm clothes that I was wearing, I was still shivering.

"God damn it, it's been half an hour! Where is she?"

"Right here." A voice said from behind me.

I nearly had a heart attack when I turned around to see her standing there.

"Jesus Christ, Sunny. Where have you been?!" I asked. "I've been waiting for half an hour! I'm actually freezing! I'm really fucking cold!"

She ignored my question as she walked closer to me.

"Aren't you cold resistant thanks to Heatblast?" she asked.

"What? No! I'm resistant to sunburns and stuff like that! That doesn't mean that I'm resistant to the cold! You dumb..."

She suddenly closed the gap between us and grabbed me by the collar of my jacket.

"Don't you dare call me a dumb bitch!" she exclaimed.

I pushed her off of me.

"Calm down! I was going to call you a dummy! Just straight dumb!"

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're an asshole."

"Thanks for reminding me. Now, why couldn't you just tell me what this was about at home, instead of dragging me all the way out here?"

"Because, no one else can hear this."

"Wow, you're being dramatic, aren't you?"

"Do you want answers or not?"

I shut my mouth with a grunt of annoyance.

"That's what I thought."

I rolled my eyes in response to that. Sunny turned away from me. And after that, she didn't say a word.

"Sunny?" I asked with caution.

She just let out a sigh, still saying nothing. So, I decided to be patient with her. I stood there and waited for her to say what she needed to say.

"I should have come outright and said it." she finally spoke. "Last night, at Mr. Smoothie's, I told you that I had no idea what was going on. And for the most part, that was truthful."

"But there is something that you do know, right?"

She turned to look at me, with a look of anguish on her face. That disturbed me. The Sunny I knew was strong, determined and unrelenting. She nodded.

 _What was on her mind that was causing her so much pain?_

"Sunny? What is it?" I asked in a cautious tone.

She let out another sigh as she looked at me.

"Last night you asked me if I was working for _them_ again." She said. "And I lied to you."

I looked at her with shock and disbelief.

"Sunny, no. You're not..."

"Ben, I'm working for The Forever Knights again."

I just stared back at her in utter disbelief. She remained where she was and crossed her arms over her chest once again.

"Go ahead and let that sink in. I'll wait."

I was flabbergasted. Actually, I was beyond that. I finally narrowed my eyes, a wave of anger coming over me.

"What the fuck?!"

"See, there it is."

"Seriously! What in the actual fuck, Sunny?!"

She looked at me, now looking angry herself.

"Don't!" she said as she pointed at me. "Don't you yell at me!"

"What did you expect?! Sunny, after everything we did for you, how could you go crawling back to them?!"

"You don't get to do that! You don't understand what they did to me! And "after everything we did for you"? Sure, your parents, Gwen and Albedo did a lot for me, but all I seem to remember you doing was moping in your room because your best friend died!"

I wanted to hit her after she said that. Her talking about Kevin like that pissed me off. But I held that urge in.

"I had issues to deal with. And I dealt with them! But, seriously! How could you do that?"

She shocked me with her next move. And it happened so fast. She rushed towards me, reaching behind her as she did and pulled out her Sai, which she must have had tucked underneath her jacket. She was holding me by my jacket and was digging the point of the Sai into my chin. But she didn't stab me with it.

"Stop it! You really don't understand what they did to me! They did let me go for a few months, to make me believe that I could have a life without them! But then they came back and approached me, and it was like, "yeah, you may have free will, but you still belong to us!" They allow me to live with you guys, but unless I do what they say, terrible things will happen! And the worst thing that they ever did to me was deny me the internal organs necessary to have children! I'll never be able to be happy with Albedo like that! They figured that a ruthless creature like me bred only with the sole intent of killing didn't need to have kids anyway!"

As she said all of it, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

 _Yeah, this wasn't the Sunny that I knew. Sunny was strong, like I said. She was too strong to cry like that._

I didn't know what she meant about the whole not being able to have children thing. Why did she have to mention that? She continued staring at me, before she eventually retracted her Sai from my chin. She backed up and put her Sai back in the place that she had had it in. She looked calmer now, so I felt comfortable with jabbing at her for answers.

"So, why go back to them? After all the progress that you've made?"

"You have to understand that I didn't want to go back to them, Ben. But they made me."

"And you have free will? You can walk away; they can't make you."

She shook her head.

"I don't really have free will, no."

"What are you talking about?"

She sighed.

"They revealed to me that they put an electronic chip in my brain. And if I'm not doing what they want me to do, they can activate it which will send me into a rage. If that happens, I won't be able to tell friend from foe and I'll hurt everyone I love, or worse."

"And you're just willing to throw everything away? You can fight them! We'd help you if you would just ask!"

She shook her head.

"You really don't understand a thing I've told you. There is no fighting back. If they notice even the slightest hint of resistance from me, they flip that switch and I could slaughter everyone that I'm close to."

I finally let out a sigh.

"What have they made you do? What are they making you do in exchange for you continuing to have a normal life?"

She just looked at me.

"Oh, come on. Spit it out."

She continued to stare at me, before she finally said something.

"It was either I get you to come back with me to their tower or I assassinate Director Steel to get him out of the way of their plans."

 _Why am I not surprised?_

"And? Which one did you choose?"

Before she could answer, something hit me. She had _asked_ me to come here.

"Wait," I asked as I began to look around me. "You didn't ask me to come here for a chance for them to ambush them, did you?"

"Maybe."

I turned to look at her. Eventually, she smiled and began to chuckle.

"I'm just kidding. There isn't anyone here but us."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't make a joke like that, Sunny!"

"Sorry."

"But you said, "get me to go back to their tower with you". What does Enoch want with me?"

The smile on her face disappeared, a more serious look was now present on her face. She turned her gaze away from me.

"He... He wants you to suffer for what you did to him."

I was confused.

 _What? What did I ever do to Enoch?_

"Why does he want me to suffer? What did I do to him?"

She looked back at me.

"You got his uncle killed. The previous leader of The Forever Knights."

"What? No, no, no. You got this all wrong. It was Kevin, _Kevin_ , who killed his uncle. I had nothing to do with it!"

"Yeah, while that may be true, he blames you for the events of that night happening. He believes that if you hadn't escaped containment, then his uncle would still be alive."

"Yeah, probably."

After that, silence fell before us.

"Which one did you choose?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Are you going to?"

"I... I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I know I have to do it, but I just decide which one is the best option."

"Well, neither one is the best option."

"Obviously. But I don't have a choice. If I don't decide, terrible things could happen."

"You don't have to do it, Sunny! If you fight back against them, we'll fight with you! Hell, I will! And we'll be even for all of the shit that I've ever put you through!"

"What shit did you put me through?"

"Well, you had to live with me for months."

"Well, there's that."

Silence fell between us once again.

"So, does that mean that you won't go through with either one?"

She shook her head.

"What? Why not?"

She sighed.

"Ben, there's nothing you can do or say about it to keep me from deciding. I have to do this."

"But you don't!"

She sighed.

"Ben, stop trying to convince me."

"And yet you haven't decided which one you'll do?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, I have to step in, Sunny. We may hate each other, but I don't want you working for them. If you taking me to them can get you away from them, then I'll go back with you."

"I haven't figured it out yet."

"You don't have to. We may hate each other, but that doesn't mean that I won't help you. So, let's go home. Let's talk with Albedo and Gwen and Mom and Dad. Let's find another way."

"They can't know about this, Ben."

"We can figure out another way, Sunny. At least try to let us help you."

She just stared at me. And eventually, she just nodded.

"Okay. Whatever you say, Ben."

Eventually I allowed myself to smile.

"Great! Well, great! Let's get out of this cold then and get home."

I turned towards the door to the interior of the building and began walking, while Sunny was right behind me.

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

I opened the front door to the house and walked into the living room, Sunny still being right behind me. Mom was sitting on the couch as always, holding baby Verdona in her arms. She looked up as we walked in.

"Well, how did your walk go?" she asked.

"It was pretty good." I replied.

"Did Sunny go with you? She left about five minutes after you did."

"Oh no, we just ran into each other. And we talked while we walked, for a while, anyway."

"You talked?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, I figured that if we're going to keep living in the same household, then we have to try to pretend like we get along."

She continued looking at us, but eventually smiled.

"Well, that's good! I'm glad that you guys are trying to get along!"

"Well, we'll see what happens." Sunny finally spoke up herself, as she moved ahead of me.

She turned around and silently mouthed something to me.

 _Kitchen. Now._

She then turned back around and walked into the kitchen, disappearing behind the wall. I was confused, but after a few seconds I followed her into the kitchen. I walked to the fridge, opened it and reached for a bottle of water. I was about to ask Sunny what this was about, but she beat me to it.

"Not a word to anyone about this." She whispered into my ear.

I turned to look at her with surprise.

"But I thought that we talked about..."

"Albedo is not ready to hear about what I'm doing. I need more time."

I let out a sigh as I shut the fridge door.

"Fine." I replied.

She let out a sigh of her own.

"Thanks." She whispered.

"Yeah." I said with a disapproving look on my face. "Now, if you don't mind, we don't have school today. So, I'm going to go nap for half of the day."

"Don't let me stop you." She said as I walked out of the kitchen.

I ignored her as I walked past Mom on the couch.

"Taking a nap." I replied.

"It's a great day for it."

"Thanks."

I walked into our bedroom, to see Gwen sitting on the bed, wearing pajama pants and a sleeveless undershirt, reading a book. I pointed my water bottle at her with confusion as she looked up and noticed me.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked.

She smiled as she closed her book and tossed it off the bed.

"Well, now that you're here, you can warm me up!"

I chuckled as I opened my water bottle.

"Well, as much as I'd like that, I'm tired and I need a nap. So, I have to pass."

She looked at me with a disappointed face.

"Aw, come on! You're no fun!"

I shrugged after I set the water bottle down on my nightstand.

"Sorry." I said as I sat down on the bed and began to take off my shoes.

"That's fine. I guess I can wait. So, where did you go?"

I looked up with surprise. I couldn't tell her about what Sunny and I talked about and it _would_ come to that. Well, she couldn't see my face, so she didn't know that I was conflicted.

"Um, I just went out on a walk with Sunny."

"You went out? With Sunny?"

 _Does she suspect me of doing something with her?_

"Yeah. I just realized that Sunny and I live in the same house, yet we hate each other. So, I decided that we should go out for a while and try to talk things out. You know, at least pretend like we get along?"

"Yeah, I get what you're talking about. So, how'd it go?"

I held in the urge to sigh with relief.

"Well, we talked for maybe half an hour and we managed not to maul each other to death. So, I'd say that it went really well."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah." I replied as I put my shoes down, side by side.

I then laid down on my back on the bed and let out a relaxed sigh. Gwen looked down at me with a funny look on her face.

"Aren't you going to get into some sweatpants or something?"

"No. I'm too exhausted to get into more comfortable clothes."

Gwen didn't say anything else after that. So, I shut my eyes.

 _Gwen_

 _A Few Minutes Later_

I was going to get back to reading from the book that I had been reading, but I was currently preoccupied by admiring Ben's sleeping form. Before I could finally get back to that, there was a knock at the open door. I looked up, to see that Albedo was standing at the door.

"Knock, knock." He replied.

That's when he noticed that Ben was asleep.

"Oh, sorry." He said as a look of surprise came over his face. "I didn't realize that he was asleep. Maybe this isn't the best time."

He turned to leave, but I spoke before he could go.

"No, no, what is it?" I asked as I got up to walk to the door. "What did you want?"

Albedo turned back around to look at me.

"Look, I know that you hate me, but..."

"I don't hate you." I interrupted.

He looked back at me with surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't hate you, Albedo. I was suspicious of you in the beginning, after what you tried to do when we first met. But you proved that you could change and I wish I had listened to Ben and heard him when he told me that you would change, because I feel like we lost a lot of time that could have been used for us to bond and get to know each other."

I heard a noise behind me, and I looked to see that Ben had put his pillow over his head, probably to drown out the sound of us talking.

"Oh, well that makes this easier." He said.

I turned back to Albedo with a look of confusion on my face.

"What?" I asked.

"See, Sunny is going out again for a while. And I don't want to play games or watch T.V. or whatever all by myself."

I just looked at him as I nodded.

"Look, I'm just going ask if you want to hang out for a while. Ben certainly looks preoccupied, so..."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I should stay and..."

I turned to see Ben waving his hand in the air, as if to signal me to go on. I turned back to Albedo.

"You know what? I'd really like to hang out. Why don't you just let me change into some warmer clothes and I'll meet you downstairs."

"Great!" he said as he smiled. "I'll see you, soon!"

"Okay." I said as he walked away from the open door.

I closed the door so I could have some privacy while I got dressed.

 _Ben_

 _Seven Hours Later_

When I opened my eyes, I automatically noticed that it was somewhat dark in the room. I let out a groan as I rolled onto my side so I could see my phone on my nightstand. The digital clock told me that it was just past four.

 _Oh, Jesus. I really did nap for half of the day._

I put my hands on my face in exhaustion, even though I wasn't tired, to feel something on my face.

"What is this?" I asked myself.

I got up and turned on the light to the room, to see something blocking half of my view in both eyes. I reached for my face again and still felt it. I cautiously tried to pull it off and it did come off. I now noticed that it was a sticky note. I turned it over, to see writing on the other side. It said:

 _Ben,_

 _I can't allow you to risk yourself to try and help me. I have to do this myself. Don't wait up._

 _\- Sunny_

I looked at the note with shock.

"God damn it, Sunny!" I replied. "I thought that we had come to an agreement!"

 _You have to stop her before she does something stupid,_ I heard the Omnitrix speak in my head.

It just then dawned on me what I had to do.

"Yes. Yes, I do. I have to get out there, find her and turn her in. She's going to go too far!"

 _Five Minutes Later_

I stepped out of the bedroom, now fully dressed in my costume, save for the mask and holding my walkie. Mom immediately noticed and gave me a funny look.

"So, uh, you're in that costume of yours. What's going on?"

I walked up to her.

"How long as Sunny been gone?"

She looked surprised.

"Oh, um a while now. Maybe more than six hours."

I took a breath, as I looked down.

"Oh, no. Oh, no. No, no, no."

I could feel her looking at me funny.

"Ben, what is it?"

I looked back up at her.

"Can you put Verdona in her crib for a minute? I really need to talk to you."

She still gave me a confused look, but got up with her anyway. She carried her down the hallway and then into her room. She came back a few seconds later, with her arms crossed.

"Okay, make it quick."

"Look, we've got trouble. Like, Sunny is in trouble! Big, big trouble!"

Mom looked surprised and worried.

"What kind of trouble? What did she do?"

"Don't worry about it." I said as I clicked my walkie to my belt. "Just please, lie for me!"

"Lie for you?"

"Please! If Albedo and Gwen ask, tell them not to worry and certainly don't let them come looking for us!"

She looked even more worried now.

"Ben, what's going on? You're starting to scare me!"

"It's Sunny who should be scared. I have to stop her before she does something that she'll regret!"

I then turned away from her and walked away before she could say anything else. I opened the door and shut it behind me as I put on my mask. I pulled the walkie from my belt and put it up to my lips.

"Sunny, don't make this difficult for yourself. Just tell me where you're at and I'll come to you. I have to turn you in before you do something dumb."

I was met with silence for a few seconds. I spoke again, more aggressive this time.

"Sunny, talk to me! Don't do this!"

Just then, I finally got an answer.

"You really think that you can stop me, Ben? Then come and try. This is going to end tonight and there's nothing that you can do about it."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* So, what do you guys think of Sunny's dilemma? Do you think that she deserves a way out of it, or do you think that she's just as bad as she was when she first worked for The Forever Knights?

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a great day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 107): Well. I knew Albedo wouldn't believe Ben. But the bond of brothers is unshakeable. The truth will come out. I just hope that Al's relationship with Sunny will be the cost._

Thanks, Daniel. I suppose that most people would have expected Albedo not to believe Ben. But, what's wrong Albedo's relationship with Sunny? Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 107): And another great chapter congrats_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Against his wishes, Ben's Mom tells Albedo and Gwen about what Ben is dealing with. Meanwhile, the conflict between Ben and Sunny ends with disastrous consequences.


	34. 109: The Assassination Plot: Part 4

Chapter 109: The Assassination Plot: Plot Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Nine!

* So, this is the finale of this arc! That's all I can really say, so I hope that you guys enjoy!

 _Ben_

 _Earth Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _Downtown Bellwood – The Bellwood Post's Building_

I stood on the roof of The Bellwood Post's Building, not at all surprised that Sunny wasn't here. I angrily pulled my walkie from my belt. I pulled my mask up to my nose as I brought the walkie to my lips.

"Sunny, seriously! Just tell me where you're at!" I said. "If you fight me over this, it's just going to be harder for you."

I didn't get an answer for a few seconds.

"Come and get me, Ben. I never told you that I was going to _tell_ you where I was at."

"Then how am I supposed to know where you're at?"

"You're smart. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

I let out a sigh as I clipped my walkie back onto my belt. I pulled my phone out and was about to call Gwen, when I suddenly got a text from Sunny. It said:

 _Don't call Gwen or Albedo. And no cops, either. Or Director Steel dies._

Sunny's text surprised me. For one, how would she know if I did either one? Was she watching me somehow? And I hadn't expected her to do this. To just outright give me no other choice. I pulled my walkie from my belt again after putting my phone back in my pocket and brought the walkie to my lips.

"I can't do either one of those, or Director Steel dies? So, basically my only choice is to come to you?"

I didn't get an answer.

"And after that entire talk we had? You bitch. I can't believe that I trusted you."

"You trusted me?" her voice came through a few seconds later.

" _Almost_ trusted you."

I heard a chuckle of sarcasm from her end.

"You sound confident. Why don't you come here and say that to my face?"

"I will. As soon as I figure out where you are, you're in big trouble."

"Better get moving then, clock's ticking."

 _I'm on a time limit now?_

I rolled my eyes as I clipped the walkie to my belt once again. I pulled my phone back out and opened my contacts list. I swiped to my recent calls and looked until I found the number that Director Steel gave me if I needed to contact him. I dialed the number and put the phone to my ear.

"This is the Director of the Special Extraterrestrial Containment Team's private line. May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Ben Tennyson, now I really need to talk to the Director!"

The receptionist on the other end was silent for a few seconds.

"Um, okay. Is this an emergency?"

"Look, I really need to talk to him! This is a life or death situation!"

There was silence again after that.

"Just a second." She finally said.

There was then silence on the line for a few seconds, Eventually, I heard Director Steel's voice on the other end.

"Well, Ben. You're calling me. I assume that you have some information for me?"

"Well, not really actually. But I need a favor. A big one."

"Ben, this isn't how this works. If you want a favor from me from here on out, you need to do work _for_ me."

"Director Steel, this is an emergency! I wouldn't ask you nor would I even call you if I didn't need to!"

I heard him let out an annoyed sigh.

"Fine. What do you want?"

"Sunny is in big, big trouble and I don't know where she is. Can you trace her phone and tell me where she is?"

I heard him chuckle.

"Kid, what do you think I am? Magic?"

"Well? Can you do it or not?"

He chuckled once more.

"Of course, I can. I'm just giving you trouble."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, I can do it. I have all of your phone's bugged and I can track that signal."

What I heard him say both surprised and disturbed me.

"You have all of our phones bugged? That's a breach of our privacy!"

"I don't think that there's anything you can do about it. The four of you are illegal genetic mutations."

I could have sworn that I heard that before. But where?

"You're bullshitting me, Director."

"Am I? Let's talk about you. When that Omnitrix of yours grafted itself onto you, your DNA changed forever. There is alien DNA running through your blood as we speak. How do you think you're able to have resistance against burns? Or how do you think you can have an increased lung capacity?"

"How do you know about that?!"

He started laughing on the other end.

"How do I know? Kid, I have a file on you the size of a Webster's dictionary! Full of reports of all the shit you've caused, along with everything you can do! If you ever for a second think that there isn't anything about you that I don't know, than you can forget it!"

Director Steel was sounding angry on his end. I let out a sigh.

"All right, all right! What about Albedo? Or Sunny, or Gwen?"

"Oh, Albedo? Well, he's a combination of your mutated DNA and the DNA within the Omnitrix, so he's automatically an illegal genetic mutation!"

"And Gwen?"

"Your girl is an Anodite-human hybrid. She has abilities that an average human would consider unnatural. So, she too, is an illegal genetic mutation."

"And so, since Sunny is a clone of Gwen, not only does she have her DNA and abilities, but since The Forever Knights tested on her, she's even more messed up, isn't she?"

"Yes, I would say that's the case. And since you four are illegal genetic mutations, the very second all of you graduate from high school, you four belong to me."

I decided to ignore what he said.

"Let's come back to that. Can you track the signal from her phone, or can't you?"

"Don't talk to me like that! And yes, I can. While I do that, talk to me. Why don't you tell me what Sunny has done?"

"Well, she's just in trouble. She's going to end up doing something that she doesn't need to be doing."

"Trouble?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of trouble?"

"She's just doing something really dumb. And I have to stop her before she can go through with it."

"Kid, you better tell me right now. Is she the one that attempted the assassination on me?"

"No, it wasn't her. Look, I just need to know where she is. Please!"

"If I tell you where she is, I have to send a squad out with you. You're coming off as suspicious."

"No, you can't do that! Director, just do this one favor for me, please! I just need to know where she is so I can go get her!"

There was silence on his end now.

"Director Steel?"

"She's at a warehouse at the Riverfront."

"Wait, it was that simple? You just told me? I can go?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. Here's what you're going to do for me. You have half an hour. If you call me again before your time is up and tell me that you have apprehended her, then I'll let you off the hook. But so God help me, if you don't call before that, I'll send out two squads. One to the warehouse location and one to your house. I'll bring in all four of you and have you under investigation for suspicious activity in the wake of my assassination attempt!"

He then hung up on me. I looked at my phone with confusion.

"Wow, he must be really angry to threaten me like that. Well, the Riverfront it is!"

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood – The Riverfront_

I landed on a higher part of the roof, perching myself on top of a satellite. Sunny was standing on a lower part of the roof in front of a skylight, with her back to me.

"So, how do you want to do this?" I asked.

She didn't turn around, nor did she say anything.

"Sunny, I'm talking to you!" I exclaimed.

She finally turned to face me.

"So, how do you want to do this?" I repeated myself.

"Well, I was going to offer to let you do this the easy way. Surrender yourself so I can take you to the tower."

I dropped down to the level of the roof that she was on.

"What? Me just go you after everything we talked about? No way."

"What happened to you willing to go back with me to help me?"

I dialed up the Omnitrix, which caused her to give me a funny look.

"That was before you went and threw everything we talked about away. I'm here to apprehend and turn you in, whether you like it or not."

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I'd like to see you try."

I rotated the ring until I came to Diamondhead's silhouette, then I pressed the ring down. Once I had transformed, I got into a fighting stance.

"Bring it on." I replied.

"Do your worst." She replied in return.

I moved forward as soon as she finished speaking. I changed both of my arms into blades and moved to attack. As one of my blades moved towards her, she flipped out of the way. I turned to look at her, now standing behind me.

"You're not going to make this easy for yourself, are you?" I asked.

"Easy for me, or easy for you?"

I ignored her question.

"You can make this go whatever way you want it to. Just know that Director Steel is going to send out two squads of S.E.C.T. agents. He wants to bring us all in for questioning on suspicious activity."

"You told him?! Is that how you found out where I was at?!"

"You said that I couldn't call Gwen or Albedo. Or the cops. You didn't say anything about calling Director Steel."

"That's fair. Maybe I should have said something about that, too."

"Yeah, you probably should have."

Silence fell between us again. Once it was clear that neither of us had anything else to say, I charged forward once more. I tried to slash at her again, but was surprised when she leaped out of the way. I felt her kick off of my shoulder and land behind me. I turned back around to look at her and I realized that she hadn't pulled out either of her Sais yet.

"You're just going to dodge my attacks?" I asked with confusion.

She shrugged.

"Maybe I just like teasing you."

I let out a growl of annoyance.

"Quit playing with me and just surrender already!"

I charged at her again, not expecting what was about to happen. As I reached her, she grabbed my arm and pulled me close to her. I was about to question what she was doing, but I felt her fingers begin to tap the hourglass symbol on my chest. She then let go of me and I fell backwards onto my behind as a flash of red light occurred. I looked at my hands and realized that I was back in my human form. I looked up at Sunny.

"I didn't think you remembered how to do that." I muttered.

"Well, I do." She said.

"Obviously."

Silence passed between us now. I let out a sigh as I stood up.

"Look, I don't care what you say, Sunny. I have to bring you in. I can't let you be out here."

"And I won't allow you to do that. No. I'm not going with you."

"What's the point of this, then? Why did I come here tonight?"

"Well, technically, I lured you here."

I looked at her with confusion.

"What?"

"I had to get you to come here."

"Why?"

She looked away from me.

"I told The Forever Knights that you would be here tonight. They're coming and if you agree to come quietly, I may have more time to figure out how to get out of this."

I was beyond shocked by what she said. And angered, too.

"Sunny, you're using me?"

"Ben, this is the only way. If I give them what they want, then I get more time. I can figure out some way to get you back from them after this! You just have to help me!"

I shook my head.

"You used me."

"Ben, it's not like that!"

"You used me!" I exclaimed as I pointed at her. "You used me for your own personal gain! Even after I offered to help you fight them, you decided to try and set up an ambush against me instead!"

Sunny actually looked worried now.

"Ben, trust me! This will work! Handing you over to them will give me enough time to..."

I stomped my foot, interrupting her.

"You _used_ me! Even if you did hand me over to them, I'll be dead before you have time to think at all! We sheltered you from them and you repaid us by crawling back to them! I won't allow you to do this! That's why I have to apprehend you, even if it means hurting you!"

"Hurting me? You think you can hurt me?!"

I ignored her and charged forward. I tried to strike her, but she moved out of the way.

"I don't want to fight you, Ben!"

"Well, I wouldn't want to fight me, neither!"

I charged her again, only to be dodged again. I turned to face her as she stood several feet away from me.

"What's the matter with you?! Why won't you fight back?!"

"I refuse to fight you, Ben."

"Why?!" I exclaimed as I rushed towards her again.

"I couldn't fight you after everything you guys have given me. This is already a big breach of trust in itself."

"Trust? I never trusted you!"

"No, but attacking you would be betraying the trust that Albedo and Gwen put in me. As well as the trust that I put in them."

"No, you're breaking that trust by doing what you're doing right now!"

I charged towards her again and dodged me again, avoiding attacking me. I turned to face her once again.

"You know what? You never belonged with us! I truly thought that you had changed for a while! We should have thrown you to the wolves!"

She looked angry now.

"I would have been fine if that was the case! I didn't need your shelter to survive!"

"Really? Then go! Leave us and see how you do on your own! And send me a postcard!"

I rushed towards her again much faster this time, without waiting for her to answer me. She moved out of my way once again and I rushed right towards the skylight. I fell onto the glass and I heard it begin to crack.

"Ben, don't move! Don't you move a muscle!" Sunny urged me.

I flashed her an angry look. However, I didn't say anything in return. And I tried to move anyway, which just caused the glass to crack faster.

"I'm telling you, don't move!"

"I can do whatever I want!" I exclaimed as I tried to move again anyway.

That's when the glass shattered beneath me. Before I could fall, I grabbed the metal bar, that separated the sections of glass from each other. Sunny ran to where I was hanging from and reached her hand out to me.

"Ben, just take my hand!" she said. "I'll pull you up!"

I kept my hands where they were.

"No." I said.

"Are you crazy?!"

I cast her an angry look, even though she couldn't see it with my mask on. I looked at the floor below me. It wasn't that far down. If I had to fall, I'd survive. It would hurt, sure. But I would survive. I turned to look back at Sunny.

"I'd rather fall than trust you again, Sunny." I muttered.

And that's what I did, as she stared back at me with a surprised expression. I let go of the metal bar and fell. I fell for only a second before I hit the ground, landing on my shoulder.

"Agh!" I cried out in pain.

That's when I heard a voice on my walkie.

"Ben!" Gwen's voice came on over the speaker. "Ben, where are you?"

I used my good arm, since my right arm felt like it was on fire, to reach for my walkie. I slowly brought it to my lips as I caught my breath.

"Warehouse, Riverfront. Don't come." I muttered. "I have it under control."

She began to protest, but I clipped the walkie back to my belt, as I continued to lay there.

 _Albedo_

 _Sometime Earlier_

 _The Tennyson House_

Gwen and I sat downstairs, still watching T.V. I heard footsteps coming down to stairs, but I kept my eyes on the T.V.

"Guys," I eventually heard the voice of Ben's Mom. "I need to talk to you."

Gwen and I both turned around to look at Sandra, who walked over to the couch.

"What is it?" Gwen asked.

"Ben went out to go find Sunny. He said that she was in big, big trouble."

"Big, big trouble?" I asked.

Sandra rolled her eyes.

"Ben's words, not mine."

"Well, what's going on?" Gwen asked. "Where are they?"

"I don't know."

"How long have they been gone?"

"Um, maybe half an hour to forty five minutes?"

I turned to Gwen.

"And it's a winter wasteland out there."

Her eyes widened after I said that.

"Oh, my God, you're right!" she said as she jumped over the back of the couch and ran towards the stairs.

Sandra and I exchanged glances once she was gone.

"Was it something I said?" I asked with confusion.

She shrugged.

"Look, I hate to ask you to go out in _that_ , but can you two please get into your suits, go get them and bring them back?"

I automatically nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am." I said as I got up.

She let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She replied.

I nodded, as I moved towards the stairs.

 _Gwen_

I ran into our bedroom and opened the small chest that I kept my costume in. I grabbed my walkie talkie that rested on top of my costume. I brought the walkie to my lips and spoke into it.

"Ben! Ben, where are you?!"

It took him a few seconds to respond.

"Warehouse, Riverfront. Don't come." I heard him speak in a weak voice. "I have it under control."

He didn't say anything else after that. Just silence. After a few seconds of me standing there, I heard someone run in.

"Hey, we gotta go now!" Albedo said from behind me. "Sandra wants us to go looking for them!"

I turned to face him.

"You're damn right we gotta go! I just talked to Ben over the walkie. He sounds weak. I think he's in trouble!"

His eyes widened.

"Yeah, we gotta move now! You get dressed, I'll do the same and I'll meet you by the door!"

"Okay!"

 _Five Minutes Later_

Albedo and I were both dressed now and were standing in the living room.

"Thank you so much for doing this." Aunt Sandra replied as she stood by the door.

"No problem." Albedo said. "We're going to go out there and find them, and Ben is going to be fine."

Just then, there was a knock at the door and all three of us looked in that direction. Aunt Sandra walked over to the living room window and peeked outside.

"I think it's S.E.C.T. waiting outside." She said, before turning back to look at us. "And I don't think this is a house call."

"What do we do?" Albedo whispered.

"Go out through the back door now. Hurry and be quiet! Go find them and bring them back!" she urged. "I'll stall them and buy you guys time to get away!"

"Okay." He said as he looked at me. "Come on, let's go!"

 _Ben_

 _Downtown Bellwood – The Riverfront_

I let out a groan as I finally came to. I think that I had passed out from the pain in my shoulder. It felt somewhat better now, but it still hurt like a bitch.

"Oh, you finally woke up." I heard Sunny say. "Come on, let me help you up."

"Mmm, no." I said in a much weaker voice than I intended as I tried to push myself up.

"Come on, I gotcha." Sunny said as she grabbed my arm.

"No!" I exclaimed as I pushed her off. "Get your hands off me!"

I heard her back up, as I got up from the floor.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"You fell from the skylight. We're inside of a warehouse."

"I know what happened!" I exclaimed as I stood up completely. "What are we even doing?!"

"We're waiting for The Forever Knights. They should be here for you shortly."

I just stared at her with an angry look.

"I can't believe you. After everything we did for you, you're still trying to pull this!"

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not trying to pull this. I _am_ pulling this."

"Seriously. After everything we did for you and this is how you pay us back!"

"You said that already."

"That doesn't change how I feel about this." I said as I got ready to charge again. "Or how I have to bring you in now!"

Sunny just stood there and held up her hand, signaling me to stop. And surprisingly, I did stop.

"Just stop it now, Ben. I do like one thing about you, and that is that you are very prideful about yourself. But your pride is going to get you killed if you aren't careful and you aren't being careful right now. You've lost, Ben. Admit it to yourself and stand down before you get yourself hurt. There is nothing you can do to get out of this. You might as well just wait with me. Because that's the only choice you have."

I stood there, unsure of what to say. I let out a sigh.

"I can't give up."

"Yes, you can. You don't have any other choice. Ben, look around you."

I did that. I took a second to calm down and looked around me. That's when I noticed it. The room that we were in was decently sized, however, on three of the walls, were multiple contraptions with blades inserted into them. And on the floor of the room were many bright red lasers, some of them intersecting with each other. I didn't need help in knowing what this was. If I, or anyone for that matter, touched the lasers, the containers would launch the blades. And well, you know the rest. It wouldn't end well, nor would it be pretty.

"You've lost!" Sunny exclaimed. "If you even try to escape this room, you'll trip one of these lasers and one of the launchers will fire their blades. I know that you have good reflexes, but you and I both know that you can't dodge them all. One or two, sure. But not all of them."

She took out a remote and held it so I could see it.

"And this remote is the only thing that can turn them off. And you can't get it from me. All you can do is wait."

I stared back at her with surprise and anger.

"I thought I knew you, but apparently, I don't. I would have expected you to beat me half to death and then drag me back to them. I didn't expect you to do this. This is the coward's way!"

"I couldn't do that. I couldn't attack you during all of this. I would have hoped that me not attacking you would show you that I'm not on their side and that I don't want this, but I guess I was wrong. And this is the only way. I don't want you to be hurt, but if you're stupid enough, then I guess there will be no other choice."

I just continued to stare at her. Eventually I made up my mind and spoke up again.

"Well, I'm not going down without a fight!" I exclaimed, as I ran forward.

"Ben, don't! You idiot!" Sunny spoke as I heard a firing pin of some sort go off.

I felt something collide with me, but I didn't feel the amount of pain that I had expected as I got knocked to the floor. Meanwhile, I heard Sunny cry out with pain. I was pretty sure I knew what had happened, but I looked up anyway. I saw that Sunny was lying on the floor and two blades had pierced her lower abdomen, blood streaming down from her wounds. As she laid there, gasping for breath, she pressed a button on the remote, which caused the lasers to disappear.

"Oh my God!" I said as I ran over to her.

I got down on one knee and gripped the blades.

"We have to get these out and get you to a hospital!" I exclaimed.

She put her hand on mine and stopped me from doing that.

"No, stupid. That will cause me to bleed out faster." She said in a weak voice.

She coughed and looked up at me as I took my hands away from her wounds.

"You need to get out of here and run! The Forever Knights will be here soon."

"But I can't just leave you behind!"

She tried laughing, which quickly turned to her coughing.

"Don't do that. Don't pretend that you didn't yell every threat in the book at me earlier and now you care for some reason. Don't do that."

I just stared down at her.

"Now, go. But before you do, I need you to do me a favor."

"What? What is it?"

"Tell Albedo that I loved him. Because I never told him myself and that makes me feel terrible."

I just looked down at her with surprise.

"And one more thing. Don't tell Albedo, don't tell him... Don't tell Albedo..."

She was stuttering a bit, but eventually she stopped speaking altogether. And she stopped moving and as well, her eyes glossed over.

 _Did she just die?_

"Sunny?" I said her name as I tapped her shoulder.

She didn't respond. I backed up and put my hands on my head as I panicked.

 _Oh my God, Sunny's dead! How am I going to break the news to Gwen and Albedo about this?_

"Ben?" I heard a male voice from behind me.

I froze in my place.

 _Oh, God. That's Albedo's voice!_

It looks like I won't have to break it to them. I slowly turned around, to see Albedo and Gwen, both of them in costume, standing behind me. Albedo squinted at me as he stared.

"Ben? What happened?" he asked.

I stepped out of the way, so they could see Sunny's body.

"Albedo, I swear to Christ that this isn't what it looks like!"

Eventually, the confused look on his face disappeared, replaced with a look of horror and anger.

"You... What the fuck did you do, Ben?!" he exclaimed.

"Albedo, this isn't my fault!"

"Like hell it isn't! You... you..."

Albedo's eyes suddenly changed to a black color, as dark as the night.

 _Why did I ever think that Albedo would be understanding about this?!_

I noticed that he got hairier, as well as his nails grew.

"Why, I'll kill you!" he exclaimed as he lunged at me.

I rolled out of the way, which caused him to belly flop onto the floor. I didn't waste time that would have allowed him to recover and attempt another attack. I ran over to him, grabbed ahold of him and got him into a chokehold. I pulled him up from the floor and kept my grip tight as he slapped one of my arms.

"Hey, chokehold's illegal, asshole!" he snarled as he continued to fight back.

"Yeah, you can file a complaint once you calm down!" I replied.

Eventually after a while, he stopped struggling. I let go of him and he fell to the floor, completely motionless. His body had reverted back to its human form as well. I turned to look at Gwen, who seemingly hadn't taken her eyes off of Sunny's body.

"Gwen?" I asked in a worried tone.

She finally looked back at me.

"What happened here?!"

I picked Albedo up and aimed my wrist gauntlet upwards.

"I'll explain on the roof. Right now, we have to get out of here before The Forever Knights get here!"

 _Sometime Later_

On three of us were up on the roof now and I had told Gwen everything, while Albedo was still unconscious. Right now, we were all watching The Forever Knights work from afar. Gwen eventually sighed.

"Well, Ben. Do you have anything to say about this situation."

"Please don't let him talk." Albedo replied.

"Albedo, I swear, it wasn't..."

"Shut the fuck up."

Gwen stepped over to me and whispered in my ear.

"Just say something."

I sighed.

"Well, it seems that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, the ones I love will always be the ones who pay."

She chuckled.

"You just had to quote Spider-Man, didn't you?"

I chuckled as well, immediately regretting it. Eventually, I heard footsteps coming towards me.

"Albedo, wait!"

I turned to look at them.

"What? What's going..."

I got interrupted when Albedo punched me in the jaw, sending me to the floor.

"Fuck you, Ben! Why are you even pretending to care that she's gone?!" he exclaimed, as he kicked my stomach.

"Albedo, just calm down!"

"You should be glad that she's gone! You always did hate her! So, why are you trying to fool me with the "you care" bullshit!"

"Albedo, stop!" Gwen exclaimed.

I knew that with Albedo's current bout of rage, he would attack Gwen without hesitation. And if he did, then I'd get up and beat his ass, no questions asked. But thankfully, that didn't have to happen. Just then, a male voice spoke through an intercom.

"All three of you! Cease with your attacking, stand away from each other and put your hands on your head!"

Albedo turned around, which allowed me to now see the S.E.C.T. aircraft hovering above the roof we were on. Surprisingly, he followed the orders and stepped away from me. I got up by myself and put my hands on my head, as Gwen and Albedo stood a few feet away on either side of me. As we did this, the craft lowered some more. Once it was low enough, someone jumped out. And it didn't surprise me to see that this person was Director Steel.

"Don't any of you move!" he exclaimed. "All three of you are in big fucking trouble!"

I let out a sigh. It was Director Steel. And he was angry.

 _Great,_ I thought.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for the chapter! What do you guys think?

* So, do you guys believe that Sunny is actually dead? Do you believe that she'll come back in a dream sequence or in a hallucination, or do you think that she'll eventually return in a physical form?

* How does everyone think that this will affect Albedo? And how do you think things with Director Steel and S.E.C.T. will go over? Anyway, that's about all I got. So, with that said, I am going to go though. So, have a fantastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 108): I meant that their relationship won't be the cost. Mistyped. And Ben is not going to let Sunny get hurt._

Thanks, Daniel. Well, I'm honestly not sure what I can say here. Well, I know that things may look bad with what happened in this chapter, but just wait, I guess? I really don't know what I can and can't say. But nonetheless, thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 108): And another great chapter congrats I hope Ben saves Sunny BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. Well, don't freak out about what happened in this chapter. Everything's going to be fine. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: S.E.C.T. drills Ben, Gwen and Albedo with questions about the events of the night. Meanwhile, the following night, Albedo loses control of himself and lets his temper get the better of him, which leads to catastrophic results. An answer to a big question is brought to light.


	35. Chapter 110: The Wolf Man

Chapter 110: The Wolf Man

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Ten!

* So, this is going to be a big chapter. Nothing that I can say will be able to explain why, so the only way to see what I mean is to, well, read for yourself. So, with that said, let's get right into the chapter!

 _Earth Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

 _Ben_

I sat in a chair, in an interrogation room aboard the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier. I was alone in the room, but I'm sure that an agent would be in the room any second now to question me about the events of the night. And I was right. A few minutes more passed, and an older man stepped into the room.

"Okay, I am here to ask you a few questions. If you just cooperate and answer honestly, I'll have you out of here in no time."

He sat down at the table across from me and sat down a piece of paper, as well as getting a pen into his hand.

"Okay, let's get down to business. What were you doing out tonight?"

I just sat there for a second.

"I went out to look for Sunny."

"What was Sunny doing?"

"Something that she really shouldn't have been doing."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry, uh, what exactly did you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me what Sunny was doing tonight."

"You won't settle for anything but the truth?"

"No."

I scoffed.

"Fine. She was out at a warehouse on the Riverfront, prepping an ambush for me."

"Prepping an ambush for you?"

"Yes."

"Why would she want to ambush you?"

"Because, she was working for The Forever Knights again. They were forcing her to work for them in order for her to have her freedom. And they gave her two choices. Either she would kill Director Steel, or she would bring me back to their tower."

"Interesting."

I sat there as he wrote on his paper. After a few seconds, he spoke again.

"So, what did you know about Sunny's involvement in the assassination attempt on Director Steel?"

I blinked with surprise.

"Um, excuse me?"

He looked up at me.

"What did you know about her involvement in the assassination attempt?" he repeated the question.

"She had nothing to do with the assassination attempt! I just told you that she chose to try to set up an ambush for me! She didn't choose to..."

"Did she tell you why she tried to kill him the other day?"

"Please don't interrupt me. I am cooperating with you. I'm being honest with you. All I ask is that you consider what I'm saying and be polite with me."

He nodded.

"My apologies."

"It's okay. Now, next question?"

"Why do you think that she attempted to kill the Director?"

I stood up from my chair with surprise.

"Did you not just hear me? Sunny has nothing to do with that! She was planning to ambush me so that she could take me to The Forever Knights!"

"Well, with all due respect, I can't take your answer as truth. These are the actions of a woman, a dead woman, who can't be here to corroborate your statements."

I rolled my eyes.

"Speaking of Sunny, when our crime scene investigators got to the crime scene, they never found the body. Do you know what happened to it?"

I looked at him with surprise.

"Are you accusing me of tampering with evidence?"

"Please just answer the question. What did you do with her body?"

"I didn't do anything! No one did a thing! We had to leave quickly, because of The Forever Knights arriving soon! If the body wasn't there after we left, then I don't know what to tell you!"

The agent looked back down at his paper as he continued writing.

"Thank you, that will be all."

I looked at him with surprise once more.

"But I'm not done talking!"

He looked up at me.

"And I've gathered all the information from you that I need in our investigation. So, if you will leave the room?"

I continued to stare at him.

"Whatever." I said as I turned around to leave the room.

 _Gwen_

 _Five Minutes Later_

Ben had just gotten through the investigation process and now it was my turn. I sat down at the table as a male agent sat down across from me.

"Okay, I am going ask you a few questions." He replied. "If you cooperate with me and answer honestly, I'll have you out of here in no time."

I nodded.

"Okay. That sounds fair."

"Good! Let's get started!"

He put down a piece of paper on the table and looked back up at me.

"So, what were Ben and Sunny doing out tonight?"

I shook my head.

"I don't know. He never said anything to me. I was hanging out with Albedo most of the day today. We never had a clue that he was even gone in the first place."

He nodded.

"Okay. What were _you_ and _Albedo_ doing out tonight?"

"Ben's Mom, my Aunt Sandra came and told us that he and Sunny had been gone for a while and she wanted us to go out and look for them. But Ben didn't want us to come. He contacted me and told us not to come, that he could handle it."

"Handle what?"

"I don't know! I'm in the same boat as you! I have no idea what happened tonight! All I know is that we get there and apparently, Sunny is dead."

"Please, we'll come back to that."

"You see what I'm doing here? I'm cooperating with you. I'm answering your questions."

He didn't say anything as he looked down and began writing on his piece of paper. I let out a sigh as I sat back in my seat.

"And now you're not listening to me."

"Why did you two go out? Even when Ben told you not to?"

"Um, because he's my boyfriend? Would you expect me to sit back and do nothing when I'm worried about him?"

He ignored my question.

"Were you aware of Sunny's involvement in the assassination attempt against Director Steel?"

"Sunny was involved in the assassination attempt? How?"

"We don't know. That's why this investigation is underway. We're trying to better understand the events of tonight."

"Well, if you don't know the extent of her involvement, then how do you know that she was involved in the first place?"

"When Ben called earlier this evening to ask Director Steel to track her location, he told the Director that she was doing something that she really shouldn't have been doing. So, from there, we just assumed that she was behind the assassination attempt."

"Well, how can you say that if you don't have any real evidence?"

"We don't know where else to look."

"So, you're automatically just going to point your fingers at Sunny, just because she's been acting suspiciously lately?"

He ignored my question.

"Final question. When our crime scene investigators arrived earlier tonight, her body was nowhere to be found."

I shrugged.

"I can assure you that I don't know anything about that. We left to the roof shortly after that, before..."

"Why not stay behind and take the body to bury her?"

"If you would just refrain from interrupting and be patient with me, I would have told you that The Forever Knights were set to arrive soon after that. And we didn't want to be there when that happened."

"Mmm-hmm."

He looked down and continued writing.

"Well, I suppose that will do it. Thank you for coming in. You can go."

Without a word, I got up from the table and left the room.

 _Ben_

Gwen just left the interrogation room and had returned to the waiting area. The male agent left the room a few seconds after that.

"Okay, I'll see Albedo now." He replied.

I sat up straight as a wave of panic washed over me.

"Oh no." I said as I got up.

"What is it?" Gwen asked as I did this.

I didn't want to ignore her, but I had to. I couldn't let Albedo go in there all by himself in his current state.

"Director Steel, wait!" I exclaimed.

He turned to look at me.

"What do you want?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"I have to go in there with him." I said.

He shook his head.

"No absolutely not."

He turned away without another word and began to walk away, but I didn't let him.

"But I need to..."

He turned back to look at me.

"What you need to do is sit down. You don't get to talk anymore, kid. It's over. Now you need to sit and accept the consequences."

I refused to do what he told me.

"Look, Albedo isn't in a good mood, so..."

"Kid, what did I just tell you? I need to be sure that I'm being absolutely clear with you. Why should I care if he's not in a good mood?"

"You should care, because he is very angry right now. He won't be cooperative at all. Let me go in with him so I can restrain him if he gets out of hand!"

Director Steel looked at me with a frustrated expression.

"Fine." He said at last.

"Thank you." I replied.

"But I'm going in there, too."

I shook my head.

"No. Having you in there will just make him more explosive."

"Then you're not going in there, either."

"You're not listening! I have to be in there with him!"

"And you're not listening, either! You don't get to make the calls anymore! You have two options, either we both go in there, or neither of us. There is no compromising."

I just stared at him with annoyance.

"Fine."

 _A Few Minutes Later_

Director Steel stood in the corner, while I stood behind Albedo so I could grab him in case he got out of hand. The agent sat down at the table with him and smiled at him.

"I'm here to ask you a few questions. Now, if you'll just..."

Albedo interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

"Just get it over with."

The agent looked surprised, but nodded.

"What were you doing out tonight?" he asked.

"What are you asking me for? You already interrogated Ben and Gwen, so what do you need from me?"

"I need you to answer the question."

Albedo let out an angered sigh.

"I don't know anything, okay? And if I did, I certainly wouldn't tell you shit!"

The agent looked at him with surprise.

"I'll just put unresponsive for that one."

"Unresponsive, my ass."

"Okay, next question. Did you have any idea what Sunny was..."

"Do not say her name!"

"I'm sorry. Did you have any idea what she was doing?"

"No. I had no indication of what she was doing. Or why she was out. Next!"

"Ben mentioned something about her wanting to ambush him. Would you know anything about that?"

"No. And once again, even if I did, it begs the question, why would I tell you anything?"

The agent let out a forced sigh.

"Unresponsive. Again."

Albedo remained silent and I wasn't sure whether that was good or bad in this case.

"What are your thoughts on Sunny's involvement in the assassination attempt on Director Steel? Do you have any..."

"Shut up. I refuse to believe that she had anything to do with it and I refuse to comment."

"Please let me finish my question. Now..."

"No! I'm not saying a fucking word!"

He let out another sigh.

"Okay. Um, when our crime scene investigators arrived at the crime scene tonight, we didn't find her body. You wouldn't have happened to hide the body, would you?"

"What? What kind of fucking animal do you take me for?! No, I didn't hide her body!"

He sighed yet again.

"Okay, well how about..."

Before the agent could finish his next question, Albedo interrupted him.

"Hold on. Who do you think you are asking me these questions?!"

"Um, I'm an agent of S.E.C.T. And it's my job to question you. So, if..."

"No, I refuse to answer any more questions!"

"But you can't do that. You need to..."

"You're not hearing me! I'm through with your questions! Now let me out, or so help me God, I'll wade through you, reach down your throat and tear your fucking heart out!"

He slammed his hands down onto the table and got up from his chair, to walk out without another word or God knows what else and causing the agent to fall backwards in his chair with fright. All I knew is, I couldn't let him do what he was about to do. I ran up behind him and wrapped my arms around him and pulled him backwards.

"Albedo just calm down for a second. Take a chill pill!"

"Let me go, Ben! I need to show this clown that I don't appreciate his questions!"

"Brother, I don't like his questions either. But you need to calm down!"

"No! Let go of me! Let me go! Get your fucking hands off me!"

 _Sometime Later_

After somehow managing to get Albedo under control, we left the interrogation room. And right now, I had been momentarily separated from my girlfriend and brother. I was sitting in a chair in front of Director Steel's desk, where he sat as well. I let out a sigh as I sat there.

"Look, I said I was sorry. I can't excuse what he did in there!"

Director Steel looked up at me from his desk, with an angry, impatient look on his face.

"You're not making your case any better, kid."

He looked back down at the papers on his desk as I slouched back into the chair that I sat in. I eventually sat back up once I decided what to say next.

"Look, so he had a tiny breakdown in there? I can handle him! I got him to call down!"

He looked up at me with surprise.

"Tiny breakdown? Kid, that brother of yours had a freakout! And you didn't call him down, you just caused him to redirect his anger to you!"

"It's not that big of a deal! I told you that I can handle him!"

"You can't handle him! You can't handle what he becomes when he loses control of himself!"

I couldn't help but look back at him with surprise.

"I know what he's capable of when he transforms into that Wolf Man! I've seen footage of it!"

"Footage? How is there..."

"And have you ever thought about what would happen if he transforms while he's in a public area? If that happens, he could kill hundreds of people without a second thought! And I can't allow that possibility. I want Albedo sedated until I know what to do with him, if not for the rest of his natural life."

"I won't let you do that."

"You don't have a choice, kid."

"No, I really won't let you do that. I can handle him. He won't turn back into that monster, not if I can help it."

He looked at me with the same angry, impatient look.

"Fine. But know this," he said as he leaned forward in his chair. "If he transforms, whether or not there are any casualties, he belongs to S.E.C.T. and we'll do whatever we want with him."

I shook my head.

"That won't be necessary. Nothing is going to happen."

"If you say so. Now, get out of my sight. I need to think about what to do with you three."

I let out a sigh, but got up without another word.

 _Several Hours Later_

It was now late at night and the three of us were still sitting in a waiting area on the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier. Gwen had fallen asleep and was laying her head on my shoulder. Albedo wasn't asleep, though. He was currently tapping his foot with impatience. I finally got up and decided to see what was taking so long. I walked back into Director Steel's office, to see that he was _still_ at work.

"What is taking so long?" I asked.

"I have to decide what I'm going to do to you." He said without looking up at me.

"And you haven't decided yet?"

"No."

I let out a sigh.

"Look, can we just go home? I'm tired, Albedo's got to be impatient and Gwen is already asleep!"

"No."

"But I, no we..."

He finally looked up at me and cut me off.

"Not another word kid. You don't get it. You don't get to ask for favors anymore! We had a deal earlier tonight and you didn't do what you told me you'd do!"

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Then whose fault was it?!"

I didn't answer.

"You are going to stay here until I decide an appropriate punishment for you three. Then, you will do what I tell you without flaw!"

I just stared at him.

"How could you be so cruel?" I finally asked.

He just stared back at me with anger.

"Get out of my sight." He said at last. "I don't want to hear another peep out of you."

I got up from my chair and left the room before he could get even angrier.

"One last thing, kid." He said. "You are not to talk to anyone about what you've talked about here tonight."

I continued walking a few seconds later, not saying anything else to him.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

Another half hour would pass before Director Steel would approach us. He called us back into his office and after I woke Gwen up, we headed in. The three of us were sitting down in the three chairs sitting in front of Director Steel's desk, while the Director himself sat on the edge of his desk.

"Okay, here's the deal. I have no idea if Sunny was involved or not, but the investigation isn't closed."

"If you have no idea if she was involved, then why are you keeping the investigation open?"

He held up his hand, essentially ignoring me.

"Until I figure out what's going on here, the three of you are under house arrest. You aren't allowed to even think about getting into costume. And unless you behave, you won't be permitted to handle anything more interesting than rowdy kids."

Albedo and I let out a sigh as we both slouched back into our chairs.

"Oh, and one more thing." He said as he leaned forward towards us. "If I find out that Sunny was involved in any way with the assassination attempt against me, I will personally apprehend the three of you and put all of you away for the rest of your natural lives. Are we clear?"

None of us said a word.

"Well, seeing as none of you have said a thing, I think you understand your situation. Better get home now. It's way past your bedtime."

I was the first to get up after several seconds.

"Come on guys." I said. "Let's go home."

I walked out of the office, Albedo and Gwen following closely behind me.

 _The Next Morning_

 _The Tennyson House_

Once I woke up the next morning, I went into the kitchen to make breakfast. It wasn't long before Albedo joined me in the kitchen.

"Good morning." I said as he came to a stop next to me and getting into the cabinet. "Did you sleep last night?"

"Yes."

"And? How did you sleep?"

He set his bowl on the counter with a bit of a slam.

"How do you think I fucking slept?" he asked as he turned to look at me.

I just looked at him, before I turned away to grab a box of cereal.

"So, how are you doing?"

"Do we really need to talk?"

He grabbed the cereal box that I was reaching for and walked off with it. I stood there after that.

"Okay. I'll just find something else to eat for breakfast."

 _Five Minutes Later_

Albedo and I sat at the dinner table, eating breakfast in silence. I had decided to go with waffles once he had stolen the box from me, if it mattered. Albedo was sitting there, with his phone in hand, as he started muttering to himself.

"Oh, no. Ben, please tell me that this doesn't mean what I think it means!" he said as he handed me his phone.

I put down my fork and took his phone from him to see what he was talking about. He had pulled up his grades, that's what I noticed first. I scanned his grades, which all looked pretty good, except for his math grade. He had an F in math class. I clicked on his grade and scrolled down to the thing that was graded most recently. I let out a sigh as I handed back his phone.

"Yep. It's official, dude. You flunked your math final and in consequence, you failed this semester of math."

He just looked back at me with disbelief.

"What?" he finally muttered.

"Sorry, bro." I said as I returned to eating my breakfast.

I noticed him look down at his bowl out of the corner of my eye.

"Fuck. Fuck! Fuck!" he muttered, as his voice grew increasingly louder. "Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck..."

He suddenly grabbed his cereal bowl.

"Fuck!" he screamed as he threw the bowl at the wall, causing it to shatter, splattering milk and cereal bits all over the place.

"Albedo!" Mom and I exclaimed in unison, as Verdona began crying from her place in her bassinet.

All he did was walk away and towards the basement stairs. Mom quickly came walking into the kitchen after him.

"You get back here and clean this up!" she exclaimed.

I got up from the table and walked over to Mom.

"Don't make him angrier. I'll do it. Just give me a second."

I walked past her and into the hallway leading to the stairs. I looked over the rail to the stairs.

"Albedo, you need to get back up here and apologize for your outburst!"

"No! I'm going to get dressed and I'm going out!"

"We're supposed to be under house arrest, Al..."

"I don't give a flying fuck!"

I let out a sigh as I walked back into the kitchen, the house oddly quiet now, save for Verdona's cries.

"So? How's he doing?" Mom asked.

"He's not good." I said as I turned to look at her. "He blames me for what happened to Sunny. And without her, he's only going to get angrier."

Mom tilted her head to the side.

"What happened to Sunny?" she asked.

"I can't say a word about what happened last night. Director Steel has sworn us to silence."

"I'm your mother!"

I shrugged.

"Sorry. Apparently, he doesn't trust anyone right now."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"For now, nothing. We're under house arrest and we're not supposed to be in costume. There is nothing that anyone can do about this."

 _Albedo_

 _Later That Night_

 _Bellwood Junior High School – The Jefferson Aquatic Center_

I went out earlier in the evening and snuck into the Aquatic Center at the Junior High School to blow off some steam. I had been swimming laps for maybe an hour now. I was still pissed off, the thoughts of last night's interrogation running rampant in my head.

 _What are your thoughts on Sunny's involvement in the assassination attempt on Director Steel?_

I had made it halfway down the lane of the pool that I was in.

 _Ben mentioned something about her wanting to ambush him,_ the interrogator's words of suspicion rang in my head.

I made it to the end of the lane and did a flip turn, grunting with anger as I came up for air.

 _You wouldn't have happened to hide the body, would you?_

I could feel my face heating up as I grunted while underwater, letting some of my air go.

 _If I find out that Sunny was involved in any way with the assassination attempt against me, I will personally apprehend the three of you and put all of you away for the rest of your natural lives,_ Director Steel's last threat to us rang clear in my head.

I made it back to the other end of the lane, from where I had started and where I had sat my bag down. I pulled myself up and out of the water and briefly sat up on the concrete, as I placed my feet on the gutter. I reached for the water bottle that I had brought with me, opened it and began drinking from it. Just then, I heard something vibrating from inside my bag. I opened it and saw that my phone was vibrating. I picked it up and once I saw it was Ben, I threw it back into my bag.

"I don't want to talk to you right now." I muttered, as I put my water bottle down.

I slipped back into the water and kicked myself off the wall. I had made it halfway down the lane before my thoughts started running rampant again.

 _Good morning, did you sleep last night?_

Ben's attempts at making conversation this morning ran through my head. I flip turned at the end of the lane and began swimming back to the other end. Once I got there, I pulled myself out of the water for another drink from my water bottle. Just as I drinking from it, I heard another vibration coming from my bag.

"Is he seriously texting me right now?" I muttered to myself.

I reached back into my bag and pulled my phone out. When I turned unlocked it, I saw the notification indicating that Ben had sent me a voicemail. I rolled my eyes.

"This better be good, Ben." I replied as I tapped the play button.

"Hey, Albedo. I know that we were sworn to silence, but I really need to talk to you. I think I messed up! It's Director Steel, he keeps insisting that Sunny's body was never found at the crime scene. It's like he suspects me of tampering with evidence or something. Will you help me figure this out? I don't know what to do. Just call me will, you? Bye."

 _What?_ _I have to know what he's talking about!_

I brought up my contacts and dialed Ben's number. I waited through the dial tone until I heard something on the other line.

"Ben!" I exclaimed, only to be cut off by the answering machine.

Upon realizing that he didn't answer, I hung up, not bothering to leave a message.

"Damn it!" I replied as I threw my phone at the concrete wall ahead of me.

It hit the wall and ricocheted off of it, sailing right into the pool. I stared at the water as I watched my phone sink to the bottom of the pool.

"Fuck!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I was feeling even angrier now. I put my fingers on my temples as I looked at the floor and closed my eyes. That didn't help in calming me down. My mind was hit full force with everything that was bugging me, all at once. I felt a growl growing in my throat. My eyes finally snapped open, as what I can only describe as a feral, angry growl escaped my throat, saliva dripping from my mouth as I growled with anger.

 _A Few Minutes Later_

After swimming down to the bottom of the pool to get my phone (it was probably done for, but I couldn't just leave it) and getting out to dry off, I headed towards the locker room. I had to know what Ben was talking about. I slung my bag over my shoulder and began trying to get my pants back on as I walked into the locker room.

I began running into the restroom as I continued trying to get my pants on. However, as I was doing this, I tripped over myself. I fell forward and hit my head on the edge of the white sink in front of me. I screamed in pain as the backpack flew from my shoulder and was cast to the ground.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I exclaimed in pain as I held my head, a knot no doubt beginning to grow on my forehead.

After a few seconds, I slowly reached up and grabbed onto the sink to pull myself up. I pulled myself up so that I could see my reflection in the mirror. I saw a massive red knot growing on my forehead, just as I thought I would. But that wasn't all I saw. As I gazed into the mirror, I saw something else. I saw my eyes slowly turn from red to black and my skin turn from a pale tan to gray, as I began to let out a low growl.

 _Nathan Black_

 _A Few Minutes Later_

I was out around Bellwood Junior High's Jefferson Aquatic Center, when I heard suspicious noises from inside the building. Noises like howling and roars. I needed to get into the building to find out what was going on. After turning off the power to the building, I went around to the back of the building to go in through the back entrance.

"Those back doors are going to be locked." I said to myself as I pulled out my lockpick. "I'm going to need this."

It didn't take long for me to pick the lock and once I did, I brought out a handgun that I had hidden under my clothes. It was my father's trusty M1911. Once I knew that the safety was on, I put it away again. Upon walking into the building, I found myself in the pool area, standing on the pool deck, the lights having been turned off. I began walking towards the door to the locker room, across the pool from me.

 _The Man Wolf_

After transforming, The Man Wolf completely trashed the Aquatic Center's locker room. After he had finished in that room, he busted through the bathroom door and out into the hall. He ran up to the vending machine that was nearby and ripped it from the wall, pulling the cord out of the wall.

He turned and gave it a good toss down the hall, where it came to a stop right by the exit door, blocking that way out. The beast moved over to the closed office door to his right and busted it down with one simple kick. He smashed the countertop immediately in front of him with both of his fists and kicked what was left across the room at the desk across the room.

He then walked over the broken bits of wood and grabbed the folding table that was to his left, casting in into the lockers for employees across the room from him. He then eyed the glass window to the left of the office doors, and he saw someone or something moving on the other side.

He let out a roar of anger as he moved over to the desk that sat close to the wall and picked it up. He then threw the desk at the doors, which busted right through them. The doors were blown outward and one of them had nearly come off its hinges. The desk came to a stop just a few feet from a teenage boy.

The boy had light brown hair and was lean and muscular. He could barely see the boy smile, before he transformed into a wolfish creature himself. He wasted no time in picking up the desk that had been thrown at him and as The Wolf Man approached, threw it through the glass window to the left of the now open doors.

The Wolf Man only stopped in his tracks for a second or more, before continuing his advance. However, before he could make it very far, the wolf creature in front of him let out a roar, let caused him to stumble. He fell to his knee and placed his hand on the floor to keep from completely falling over. The roar had discouraged him from approaching, however the beast was still angry and wouldn't let fear scare him off.

He quickly got back up and roared with anger and aggression, before he charged forward. He got ready to throw a punch at the creature, but the beast was surprised when he was grabbed by the arm and thrown to the floor. The Wolf Man quickly looked up at the beast and let out a growl, as he grabbed the one of the metal railings that lined this entry to the pool.

He pulled part of it out and separated part of the bar from the rest of the rail has he got back up. He turned to look at the creature and attempted to hit him with the bar, but was surprised when he grabbed the it, preventing him from getting a hit in. He then hit the Wolf Man in the face with the metal bar, sending him backwards.

He collided with a storage chest, containing flippers, goggles and other water accessories, sending it and its contents into the pool. Once The Wolf Man recovered, he moved away from the creature, opting not to attack again just yet. He dropped the metal bar as he ran over to the office doors.

He tore the door that was already hanging off of its hinges completely off. He turned back around to face the wolf creature and threw the door at him. He was somewhat surprised when the creature simply batted the door away with ease. He then picked up the metal bar that The Wolf Man had discarded and continued in his approach.

Once he got close, he whacked The Wolf Man in the arm with force. He let out a roar of anger and pain, as he got ready to attack again. The Wolf Man quickly threw a punch and nailed the creature in the jaw. He stumbled only a step or so backwards and The Wolf Man approached to attack again. He threw another punch, but was surprised this time when the creature caught his fist in his hand.

The Wolf Man looked back at the creature, as the grip on his fist tightened. He saw the creature's eyes glowing a bright crimson color. And seconds after The Wolf Man's fist was caught, the creature nailed him in the sternum with a forceful punch. The Wolf Man felt the air leave him and suddenly found himself being unable to breath.

 _Albedo_

I was suddenly snapped back to reality, the last thing I remember happening was seeing my eyes and skin change color from the reflection in the bathroom mirror. I hardly remembered anything after that. The only thing I could recall was brief flashes. Flashes of something smashing through the halls of the Aquatic Center, tearing its way through the office and eventually getting into a fight with a... creature of some kind? I stared down at the ground, as my hands came into view. I immediately noticed that my hands were bigger than I thought, gray and hairy.

 _Had I transformed?_

If I really did transform, then how was I able to control myself? It also dawned on me that I couldn't breathe. There was also an unbearable pain in my lower torso, but I didn't remember what could have happened to cause these things. I don't know how long I had been standing there, but it couldn't have been very long.

Before I could think about anything else or do anything, my eardrums were bombarded by what I can only describe as an earth-shattering roar. I finally looked up and I saw a wolf creature in front of me, like me. However, that was the only similarity that we shared. While we were both wolf creatures, this thing looked bigger, more intimidating than the creature I was right now.

I saw black, dirty fur on a body that seemed to radiate darkness. And there were flames, burning bright where its eyes should have been. It was a terrifying sight. It looked like death itself. And the longer I looked at it, the more frightened I became. I didn't have any willingness to fight with how terrified I was of what stood in front of me.

And besides, the pain in my abdomen was just about unbearable. I could actually feel my consciousness fading away. Not long after, I felt my eyes begin to roll back into my head and everything went black.

 _Nathan Black/Kessinger_

The Loboan creature in front of me had finally fallen over onto its back. Once I had nailed it in the sternum, it stumbled backwards and just stood there for a few seconds, looking as though it were struggling to breath, as well as being unable to comprehend what had just happened. Once it looked as though it wasn't moving anymore, just for good measure, I unleashed a sonic roar upon him.

He eventually looked up at me and interestingly enough, the creature now had red eyes instead of black eyes. And he looked terrified. And after that he eventually fell over, I was finally able to relax just a little.

"Damn bastard landed a lucky hit." I muttered as I briefly touched my jaw. "I should..."

As I spoke, I looked back down at the creature, who was now rapidly changing. I removed my hand from my jaw as I watched the transformation with intent. After several seconds, the creature had changed back into a familiar teenage boy: Albedo, Ben Tennyson's brother. I finally let out a brief chuckle.

"Oh, I knew he smelled like a dog." I replied, before I reached down to pick up the silver-haired teen.

 _Ben_

 _Sometime Later_

 _The Tennyson House_

At about ten thirty, my watching T.V. while waiting for Albedo to come back home was interrupted by a knock at the door. I nervously got up from the couch and walked to the door.

"Who could be at the door at ten..." I muttered to myself as I opened the door.

I cut myself off, shocked to see Nathan Black standing there, with Albedo next to him, just limply hanging on with his arm around Nathan's shoulder. Albedo only had on shredded jeans, so he no doubt had transformed. I immediately stepped forward.

"Nathan, what...?" I asked before I cut myself off. "Just give him here!"

I forcefully took Albedo from him and momentarily walked back inside to lay him down on the couch. Once I returned, Nathan had his arms crossed over his chest, with an impatient look on his face. I shut the door behind me and stepped outside onto the stoop with him.

"Well, I appreciate you bringing him home, but how? How did you know where we live?"

"When you come from a background like mine, you learn to muffle all of the unimportant chatter and listen in on the important stuff." He spoke. "You'd be surprised at what people say when they think no one is listening."

I stepped back, creeped out by his response.

"What the hell?" I asked.

He cleared his throat.

"Now it's my turn. Why in the hell was your brother a Loboan tonight?!"

"Then he transformed? Did he hurt anyone?!"

"No, but he certainly pissed me off. Now, transformed how? What the hell is the matter with him?!"

I put my hands on my head when the realization occurred to me that I had failed to keep my promise to Director Steel.

"I asked you a question!"

I looked back up at Nathan.

"Look, this is just so sudden for me. I get you want an explanation. But right now, I'm not at the liberty to explain this to you. Shit's happened to me in the last day and I'm not in a great state right now. Besides, we hardly know each other. I just don't feel like disclosing that information to an almost complete stranger."

Nathan looked at me with annoyance and it seemed as though we would punch me, but surprisingly, he didn't.

"Fine." He said at last. "But know this. You owe me a fucking explanation, Tennyson! And for your sake, it better be a good one!"

He finally turned away from me and began to walk away. I stood there, watching him go before I decided to go back inside. I shut the door behind me again and looked at the couch that Albedo laid on, still out cold. I let out a sigh.

"Albedo, what am I going to do with you?"

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

Half an hour passed before Albedo finally awoke. He bolted upright.

"How? What?" he asked before he looked at me. "How did I get here?"

I got up and walked over to the couch where he was now sitting.

"Nathan brought you home." I said.

"Nathan? Nathan Black?" he asked.

I nodded.

"What happened?"

"You tell me. You transformed, didn't you?"

He sighed.

"Yes, I did. I admit it. I can't remember anything, but it's clear that I did."

"It's clear that you did?"

He just stared at me.

"Did I hurt anyone?"

"No. But Nathan said you pissed him off."

"How did I do that?"

"How should I know that? I wasn't there!"

"Well, I can't remember a thing!"

I let out a sigh.

"Albedo, you know what this means."

He got up and walked to the kitchen.

"No."

I followed him.

"Albedo."

"Stop." He said as he opened the freezer.

He pulled out an icepack and pressed it against his abdomen.

"Albedo, you know I don't want to say it."

"Then don't!"

I ignored him.

"Albedo, as much as I hate to admit it, Director Steel was right about you!"

He ignored me.

"You transformed and managed to not hurt anyone. But what if you transform in a public area? There could be hundreds of civilian casualties!"

He turned to look at me.

"Not another word."

I sighed.

"Albedo, Director Steel was right. You're not safe to have around! You have to be sedated."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. Told you it was a long one!

* Do you all think that Director Steel's demands and suspicions are justified? Or do you think he's just overreacting? I'd really like to know. What do you think of Albedo's freakout and subsequent battle as The Wolf Man? And how about that reveal? Speaking of which, I have something here from the creator of Nathan Black himself, annihalator2015!

* _"Hello readers! Surprised? I know some of you aren't, those that have pieced all the clues together will already know that Nathan and Kessinger are one and the same, however for the majority, this will be quite the surprise for you guys! So yes, Nathan and Kessinger are one and the same. This was planned from the start, and the idea took root several months after my first exchange with Spidey, he was on-board with my idea and was fine with incorporating it into the story. This was also always meant to be part of Nathan's lore. As for how much we'll expand his personal history, you'll just have to wait and see. If any of you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to direct them towards me in a PM. That will be all, and I wish you guys happy holidays!"_

* So, yes. My friend annihalator2015 couldn't have said it any better. You could say that this chapter has been in the making for almost a year now. It'll be a year next month that he and I started to talk about the concept for what eventually evolved into this chapter. And he's contributed to it quite a bit. The original concept was for The Man Wolf to trash the library at Madison High School, but thanks to a continuity error, that never happened. And our very own annihalator2015 came up the idea for what we now call "The Pool Scenario".

* So, he deserves to be shown some love. So, please, by all means message him if you have any questions. Or if you just want to show him some love as I said above, you can PM him, too. The last thing that I will say is that the next chapter will be big. You _do not_ want to miss the final moments of Chapter 111! I think that's all I have. So, with that said, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 109): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you thought Chapter 109 was a good chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Albedo is put in a state of suspended animation. Director Steel argues with Ben about the treatment of Albedo while in this state. Meanwhile, Ben eventually finds himself in a new, difficult dilemma.


	36. Chapter 111: Cryostasis

Chapter 111: Cryostasis

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Eleven!

* So, this is going to be another big chapter, even if it is small in length. I won't be saying a single thing about this chapter. So, let's just get right into it!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Mid-December_

 _S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

 _Ben_

The following morning, Albedo and I requested transport so we could be taken to the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier. And of course, once I told Director Steel what had happened, Albedo and I were separated. Right now, according to the Director, he was being fitted with a pair of elastic shorts, that would stretch in case he transformed again, so he could be put into a form of stasis. And right now, I was trying to plead my case to the Director.

"How long will you keep him under?" I asked.

Director Steel sat with his feet on his desk, with his hand on his forehead, looking very frustrated.

"For the rest of his natural life, if that's what it takes." He muttered.

"What do you want with him?! Why are you treating this like it's his fault! He's only a threat if you make him one! Why can't you..."

"He's always a threat, God damn it!" he exclaimed as he got up from his desk. "Every second that he can potentially turn into that thing makes him a threat!"

I was silent.

"It doesn't mean you have to keep him under. You can help him."

"That's what you want? For me to help him?!"

"Yes! For once, could you stop treating him like he's a threat? He's a human being, Director Steel!"

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but your "human being" is also something else! He's harboring a monster deep within! A type of monster that would cause destruction and death on a catastrophic scale if it was ever allowed to be released!"

I just stared up at him with surprise. I finally grimaced before speaking again.

"I can't believe you. For once in my life, I actually thought I could trust you!"

He looked back at me with an offended look.

"You can trust me to do what I think is right, not to do what you want me to do!" he exclaimed in an angry tone.

I just stared up at him still, before I hung my head and looked at the ground.

"I'm truly sorry, kid. It's not your fault that The Forever Knights decided to fuck with you and your brother. But that doesn't change the fact that he's now a threat. I'm sorry."

I didn't say a word.

"Sorry to say it kid, but the very second that boy transformed again, every cell that makes up his body became S.E.C.T. property. He now belongs to us and we'll do whatever we see fit with him."

I looked up at him, not knowing what to say.

"Also, I've received word that after today, further contact with him is out of the question. Once he's under, our scientists will need all the focus they can get."

I bit my lip, trying to prevent myself from unleashing a slew of threats.

"I would go say goodbye while you still can." He said in a simple tone, actually sounding calm for once.

I finally got up and looked him in the eye.

"I can't believe I ever trusted you." I said.

He looked back at me with an odd look of sympathy.

"I'm sorry, little one."

I gritted my teeth.

"This isn't over, Director. Not by a longshot."

I turned around to exit his office, without another word to him.

 _Sometime Later_

 _Medical Wing – S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

I sat on the edge of the ladder that stood next to the cylindrical tank that was filled with lukewarm water. Albedo had on the elastic shorts that were issued to him, wearing nothing else and was sitting on the edge of the tank, with his feet in the water. He also had several wireless electrodes attached to his skin.

"So, are you ready for this?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"No. But it's not like we have a choice. These are the Director's orders."

I gave a sad smile.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I'm sure you won't be under for very long. They'll find a way to cure you and you'll be awake again before you know it."

He shook his head.

"They won't cure me. That's not what they want to do. They want to harvest the Loboan DNA within me and make it into a weapon."

I let out a bit of a chuckle.

"What makes you say that?"

He looked down.

"I heard whispers before the put on the electrodes. They probably have no interest in curing me."

"Calm down, Albedo. It's not like you have the Hulk inside of you. If that was the case, you'd be a lot more dangerous. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

"If you say so."

He looked down at the water as he went silent.

"Hey, Ben?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Okay. Shoot."

"You were right."

"I was right? About what?"

"About Nathan. You were right about suspecting him of being more than he appears to be."

I looked at him with a confused expression.

"I'm not the one who suspects him, Albedo. Director Steel does. And besides, what could Nathan be hiding?"

He looked down once again.

"I don't have any evidence right now, but one of the things I remember last before waking up was seeing some kind of big, wolfish creature at the Aquatic Center. I can't help but wonder could it have been that creature we saw in the alley that night?"

He looked up at me now.

"And, I don't know how, but I think that Nathan and that wolf creature may be connected somehow."

I looked back at him, before I eventually sighed.

"Albedo, I think you're looking too far into it. But who knows? It's possible. It could be."

"You don't believe me."

I shrugged.

"You said it yourself, Albedo. There's no evidence right now. It may be possible. But right now, how can you tell?"

He looked at me, before sighing himself.

"Maybe you're right." He replied.

I nodded.

 _Did I believe that Nathan could be that creature? Of course not. No way. It couldn't be possible. But anything was possible. So, was there a shred of myself that believed Nathan and that creature were connected?_

Before I could say anything else, a S.E.C.T. medic and scientist walked over to us.

"Can you get down, please?" the scientist replied. "It's time."

"Of course." I said as I made my way down the ladder.

Once I was down, the medic made his way up the ladder. I watched as the medic fastened some sort of harness around Albedo's waist, as the scientist began to climb the ladder on the other side of the tank.

"This will keep you secured in the middle of the tank and keep you from writhing so much." He replied.

Albedo gave a slight nod, as the medic finished up. He then reached for a face mask of some kind.

"And this will put you under once you're inside. It's a mixture of oxygen and anesthesia. While you're in the water, you'll need air. And this will supply it."

He was about to attach it to Albedo's face, but he put his finger up.

"Wait. Can I have just one second?" he asked.

"Yes."

He turned to look at me.

"See you on the other side, buddy!"

I nodded with a smile and gave him a thumbs up. He then let out a sigh and turned back to the medic.

"Okay. I'm ready now."

The medic nodded and began attaching the face mask to Albedo's face. Once that was done, they slowly began to lower him into the tank. Once he was in the tank, the shut the top of the tank and Albedo was sealed inside. After maneuvering a bit, Albedo was lined up horizontally within the tank. He was looking up at the hatch that had just shut, and his back faced the bottom glass portion of the tank. His eyes remained open as he appeared to be breathing steadily and then, his eyes shut. They didn't open again after that. I finally let out a sigh.

"Okay. Well, I suppose it's best that I left. Thanks for doing this guys."

"Not a problem!" the medic replied with a smile as he got back down onto the floor and turned to look at me with a toothy grin.

I turned and began to walk towards the exit of this portion of the Medical Wing. I wasn't entirely okay with what Albedo was being put through, but it wasn't like I had a choice.

 _Later That Night_

 _The Tennyson House_

I let out a sigh as I sat down on the bed in our bedroom, just having gotten out of the shower. I put the towel back on my head and ran it through my slightly wet hair again. I felt Gwen press herself against my bare back as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"We haven't had the time to talk, you know." She said. "So, how are you doing?"

I let out a sigh.

"Not great. We lost my brother and your sister within a day or so. And I feel like a failure."

"You're not! It wasn't your fault! You couldn't have predicted what was going to happen!"

I threw the towel to the floor and pressed my back up against the wall, stretching out my legs on my spot of the bed, wearing only socks and pajama pants.

"Even so, I can't help but feel somewhat responsible. I mean, Sunny dies and because she's no longer around, Albedo can't control himself anymore. He loses control of himself just the following night! And now he has to be sedated, because there is no cure for his condition right now."

She looked on with sympathy. I let out another sigh as I looked down at my lap.

"This place is going to be much quieter now. And that just won't feel normal."

"Ben, you believed that Kevin's death was your fault, too. But with time, you accepted that it wasn't your fault! The same thing will happen with this! You just need time to reflect on your situation!"

I looked back up at her.

"Was this ever meant to go any other way? Was this always going to happen, no matter what?"

She shrugged.

"We may never know the answer to that."

I let out a sigh.

"Maybe you're right." I said with a small smile.

She smiled back.

"Damn right, I am." She replied, before she sat herself down in my lap. "Now, stop talking and come here."

She pressed her lips against mine and I began to kiss her back.

"Gwen, we shouldn't be doing this!" I whispered with a chuckle as we continued kissing.

"But I want to!"

She pushed me down onto the bed and laid down on top of me, pressing her chest against mine as we continued kissing. And so, I just decided to give in to her demands, as I wrapped my arms around her and rolled us over.

 _The Next Morning_

" _...Ten."_

I woke up the next morning in our bedroom. Or so I thought. I woke up to see a ceiling with a completely different size than the one in our bedroom. I sat up as I rubbed my eyes, using my arms to prop myself up. I immediately noticed that I was in my old bedroom, lying on my old bed. And I wasn't wearing just pajama pants and socks anymore. I was wearing jeans and one of my long sleeved cotton shirts.

"I'm in my old room." I muttered. "How did I get here?"

I began to look around and it dawned on me that none of Verdona's stuff was in here. There was no hint that she was ever in here.

"Wait. What the fuck's going on?"

I brought my hands into my field of vision as I sat all the way up and I looked at my right wrist, the wrist that the Omnitrix was on. I was both shocked and horrified when I saw that the Omnitrix wasn't there. My eyes widened as I began to realize what was going on.

"No, no, no, no." I muttered as I got up from my bed. "Please don't let this be real!"

There was a calendar that used to be tacked to the wall in my bedroom, but it was back now, and I was getting up to look at it. Just one look at it confirmed by suspicions. I fell back down onto my bed and refused to get back up. I covered my eyes as I felt the urge to cry.

"It's just a bad dream." I muttered to myself, not sounding convincing. "It's just a bad dream."

The date on the calendar was Thanksgiving, of 2017. It was the day that I first got the Omnitrix.

 _Author's Note:_

* Just so you know guys, this is _not_ a reboot! I've built up too much of this story to start all over now. So, no. This isn't a reboot. But something else entirely.

* Anyway, that's it for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed!

* So, what did you guys think Ben's conversation with Director Steel? How about Ben saying farewell to Albedo? And of course, if this isn't a reboot, then what do you think it is?

* That's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 110): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 110. I am also quite curious to hear about what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Meanwhile, as Ben is stuck reliving his memories, complications arise with Albedo's situation aboard the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier and he transforms again.


	37. Chapter 112: Previously On

Chapter 112: Previously On...

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Twelve! This is the prelude to the next arc, and I think that this may be the only chapter that doesn't focus on Ben. That's right! Ben will not appear in this chapter! He will be referenced, but he isn't in this chapter.

* I won't say anything else about this chapter in fear that I'll give something away. Actually, I will say this: This is the last chapter of 2019. I know that some of you may not like that, but there's another story that I need to tend to and I want it finished before the end of the year. But I'll be back with more chapters in early 2020, hopefully in January.

* Anyway, that's all I got. So, on with the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Two Weeks Later – January 7_ _th_ _, 2019_

 _S.E.C.T. Helicarrier_

 _Director Steel_

I cleared my throat as I stepped into the observation area overlooking the medical area that Albedo Tennyson was being kept in. I watched as the technicians, scientists and medics were busy at their own individual monitors.

"How is it that you grunts haven't extracted a sample yet?! I wanted that Vladat DNA extracted two weeks ago!"

One of the technicians turned around.

"The mechanism is finally ready, Director! You'll have the DNA today!"

"That's not good enough! I told you what I wanted! Let's not piss me off anymore, okay? Let's get to it! Move the harvesting tool into place!"

"Yes, Director!"

I walked over to the space in between the monitors to look out the window. I watched as an agent in a wetsuit moved up the ladder, with a device having two cylindrical containers on it. One was empty, while the other was filled with a dark blue liquid. The agent opened up the hatch at the top of the tank, then looked up at the window. I moved over to the console and pressed the intercom button.

"Once you get inside the tank and get the device fastened to his arm, obtain the sample. Once you've done that, begin the injection process for the anti-virus. Then get out of there! You don't want to be in there for any longer than you have to!"

He nodded at me, before he got to work. He slipped into the tank and went to work. I heard an audible ding come from one of the terminals.

"DNA extraction process has begun, Director." One of the technicians replied.

I nodded.

"Good."

Several seconds passed as the empty container filled with a sample of DNA that was retrieved from Albedo's body. One of the scientists turned to look at me.

"The anti-virus is being deployed, Director!" he said.

I nodded as I looked out the window, to see the agent in the wetsuit getting out of the tank, the blood sample in his hand. I pressed the intercom button again.

"Get that blood sample to cold storage! On the double, crewman!"

He nodded and began walking away from the tank. I turned to look at the medic at his station.

"Analysis?" I asked.

He nodded.

"The subject's vitals are good, Director."

"Good."

Before I could do anything else, the medic spoke again.

"Wait."

"What?"

It was then that I heard the multiple beeps, as Albedo's vitals began to spike.

"Bingo." I replied with a sigh. "That must have been one jumbo nightmare he just had."

The medic began typing at his terminal.

"Director, the cells were being healed, but now it seems like the body is rejecting the anti-virus!"

"Interesting. Keep analyzing the process!"

He kept typing away at his terminal, before he looked over at me.

"Director, you aren't going to like this."

I gave him a stern look.

"Tell me."

He looked at me with a strange gaze.

"Sir, he's woken up."

 _?_

I stepped down from the ladder with the blood sample in my hand. I stepped over to the female agent that stood next to the tank.

"Was it scary in there?" she asked.

I chuckled as I shook my head.

"Not at all. He won't bite. He's completely out of it."

That's when I heard a muffled sound from inside the tank and then a hand busted through the glass, spilling water out as it grabbed onto my head and slammed me into the glass. I knew what was about to happen.

"Quick!" I said as I began to hand the blood sample to the agent next to me, who was freaking out. "Get this to Co..."

I was cut off as I was pulled into the tank.

 _Director Steel_

I watched as the subject's vitals continued to spike. Then, before the agent could get away from the tank, a big, gray arm burst through the tank and grabbed him. After slamming his head into the glass, the agent nearly dropped the blood sample, however the female agent next to him caught it. After she ran off, the agent was pulled inside of the tank.

"Director, do you want me to neutralize?" one of the technicians asked.

"No!" I exclaimed as I pointed at him. "Don't you dare press that button! I can't do anything with a dead body!"

I returned my gaze to the window. A few seconds later, the agent that had been dragged into the tank was ejected from it. He was sent flying into a console and was no doubt now unconscious.

"Put him to sleep!" I exclaimed.

"We can't! The connection to the breathing apparatus has been lost!"

"Damn it!" I exclaimed as I brought my fist down on the terminal in front of me.

The top of the tank was suddenly torn off, the side of it going as well. Albedo, now The Man Wolf, sprang from the tank, tearing himself and the harness from what was left of the tank. He then tore the harness off of his waist and let out an angry roar. I let out a sigh, as I realized what I had to do.

"Send in the Death Squadron."

 _?_

Aboard the S.E.C.T. Helicarrier, I walked into the reception area. I walked up to the desk, where the receptionist was looking down at their desk.

"Hi." I said once I came to a stop. "I'm here to see Director Steel."

"He's busy right now, but if you want to have a seat, I'll let him know you're here." She said. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Sunny Tennyson."

The receptionist looked up at me with shock, as I gave her a nervous smile in return. Just then, the intercom above us came to life.

"Attention! The Death Squadron is requested in the Medical Wing, Stasis Room A! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill!"

I looked back at the receptionist with confusion now. She finally snapped out of her shocked state and looked at me seriously.

"I don't know!" she replied. "If you just wait there for a while, I'll take you to him!"

I nodded and then she departed from her desk.

 _Director Steel_

 _A Few Minutes Later_

"Where the fuck is the Death Squadron at?!" I exclaimed as The Man Wolf rampaged in the room below us.

Before anyone could respond, the beast let out an angry roar, as he picked up the remains of the tank and threw it at the window that we were looking out of. Several of the agents let out a scream as they fell out of their chairs.

"Everyone unseat your asses!" I shouted. "I'm ordering an evacuation of the Medical Center! Let's lock him in here!"

"That won't stop him, Director!"

"I know. But it'll give us time to come up with a counterattack!"

Just then, the doors to Stasis Room A opened. The Death Squadron had arrived. They were all outfitted with black jumpsuits, armor plates and helmets. This was an armor specifically designed to take more punishment than the standard armor was capable of taking, the kind of armor that regular S.E.C.T. agents wore. They were also outfitted with different weapons, for each of the five members of the squadron.

Death Leader carried a modified version of the standard Laser Rifle, which could be fired faster and eject empty power cells faster. Death-One carried a firearm that fired lasers in deadly bursts, akin to that of a shotgun, although the reload time was somewhat slow. Death-Two carried a Laser Pistol, that shot short controlled bursts, similar to Death-One's weapon. However, this one could reload faster and was more accurate.

Death-Three carried a grenade launcher, which fired standard grenades. He also carried a normal Laser Rifle as a fallback weapon. And Death-Four carried a flamethrower, with a Laser Pistol has his sidearm. As they entered the room, The Man Wolf moved to attack. He ripped one of the consoles from its spot on the floor and threw it across the room. Mostly everyone got out of the way, so there weren't any casualties.

 _The Wolf Man_

The beast was trashing the science bay when the doors opened on the other end of the room. He let out a roar of anger as he prepared to attack. He ran to a console that sat on the floor of the room and ripped it up from its place, then throwing it across the room. He missed, as all five agents easily got out the way.

"Death Squadron!" one of them exclaimed. "Attack!"

The five soldiers advanced on The Wolf Man and opened fire. However, even grenades, lasers and fire didn't seem to harm the beast. He just roared with agitation and continued to attack. He lunged forward and grabbed one of the agents before they could move out of the way. He picked the agent up by his leg and threw him across the room. He was sent flying into a support column, colliding with it back first.

As The Wolf Man began to turn his attention to the rest of the Squadron, they began to open fire again. It did nothing more but piss the beast off. He turned around, seeming to radiant anger. He began walking towards the squadron, as they began shooting him, but to no avail. He reached out and grabbed the barrel of the grenade launcher, bending it so that it couldn't fire effectively anymore. He then wrenched it from the agent's hands and tossed it across the room. Next, he did something interesting. He lifted up his arms as if he were about to smash his fists into the floor. And he did just that.

"Transyl smash!" he exclaimed in a demonic-toned voice, as he slammed his fists into the floor.

The small shockwave that the smash created caused a few of the agents to stumble a bit, but only one of them actually fell down.

"I didn't think that mutant freak could actually talk!" one of them exclaimed.

The Wolf Man approached to attack again, but that's when the intercom came back on.

"What the hell are you doing, you idiots?!" Director Steel exclaimed. "Take him out!"

The Wolf Man immediately turned to look in Director Steel's direction. He let out an angry growl as he saw him through the glass. He paced back over to the remains of the tank and picked up one of the metal parts that had held it together. He turned back to look at Director Steel up in the observation box and was about to throw the metal piece, but he didn't get the chance.

One of the agents approached from behind and opened fire on The Wolf Man. He let out an angry, pained roar as he stumbled. He quickly recovered and turned to look at the agent that had shot him. He then swiftly hit him with the metal piece, sending the agent flying across the room.

 _Director Steel_

 _A Few Minutes Earlier_

I watched as the Death Squadron moved in to attack. After the beast threw a console across the room, the Death Squadron began their attack. They hit him with the flamethrower and the grenades, but it seemed to do nothing. The fire singed his hairs and the grenades did cause physical damage, but he healed soon thereafter.

"What is going on?!" I exclaimed. "Why aren't we doing any damage?!"

One of the agents looked up at me with a disturbed expression.

"It's the anti-virus, Director! It's as if it's working too well! Somehow, it must be healing him!"

I slammed my fist down on the console in front of me as I let out a growl of anger. I watched as he smashed his fists into the floor.

"Everyone get out. I'm being serious. I'm ordering an evacuation."

My agents turned to look at me with confusion.

"Get out!" I exclaimed.

All of my agents and technicians got up from their seats and ran out of the room. I let out a sigh as I looked back at the scene playing out below me. I pressed the intercom button and spoke into it.

"What the hell are you doing, you idiots?! Take him out!"

As I spoke, The Wolf Man turned to look at me from his place on the floor below me. I could see his black eyes narrow in anger at me, as he turned back around and picked up one of the metal pieces from the tank that Albedo had been in a short time ago. He then turned back to me and it looked like he was about to throw the piece in my direction, but he never got the chance to.

One of the agents approached from behind and shot the beast in the side of his abdomen. He let out an angry roar and turned back around, hitting the agent responsible with the metal piece. It sent him flying across the room. Just then, I heard the door to my left open.

"Director Steel?" I heard someone ask.

"Not right now." I said in an angry tone, not even looking at the person.

"There's someone here to see you."

I turned to my left to see an agent standing at the door. And standing at the door was a familiar blonde. It was Sunny Tennyson. As soon as I saw her, I immediately pulled my Laser Pistol from my belt and pointed it at her.

"No! Not one more fucking step!" I exclaimed.

She just calmly stood there.

"Director Steel, I..." she began speaking, but I cut her off.

"No! Not one more word! I am going to interrogate you and throw you into a cell until I know what to do with you!"

"I get that you don't know a lot about the events of that night two weeks ago. I'm willing to explain if you just give me a..."

"Yes, you will explain! But not here! You're going to explain everything to me while you're in an interrogation room!"

"I will explain myself. But only if you..."

She was interrupted by the sound of The Wolf Man smashing through the Death Squadron in the room below. She turned her head to look out the glass window.

"Is that Albedo?!" she asked.

"What you need to do right now is focus on me! You are not in a position to be making offers now!"

She turned back to look at me.

"You don't understand what you're doing! You need to call off your men! You're only going to make him angrier!"

"You are not in a position to tell me what to do! Now, I'm calling for someone to take you to a cell and..."

"I can calm him down and stop him from hurting anyone else! If you let me do that, then I'll answer all of your questions, provided that I'm not separated from him and if I'm sitting down at a table, without being restrained!"

She didn't wait for me to come up with an answer. She ran and broke through the glass window, falling to the floor below.

 _Sunny_

I fell from the broken window to the floor below me. Once I landed, I wasted no time in running up to Albedo in his Man Wolf form.

"Albedo, stop!" I cried out.

He stopped in his tracks and I noticed him tense up. He turned around and let out a hiss at me. I calmly reached out my hand to him.

"It's okay. Just relax." I said in the most soothing tone that I could muster.

He let out another growl as he stepped closer. I calmly held my ground.

"No." I said in a simple tone.

As I tried to reason with The Man Wolf, Director Steel's soldiers continued to approach, their weapons at the ready. This didn't go unnoticed. The Man Wolf turned around and let out a growl, looking as though he would attack again.

"Albedo." I called out to him again.

He turned back to look at me and grabbed onto one of his fingers, hoping that I could distract him long enough to talk to Director Steel. I slowly turned to look at him over my shoulder.

"Director Steel, you need to tell your men to stand down, right now."

It took a few seconds, but he eventually complied.

"You heard her. Back down, but leave your weapons at the ready."

They did as they were told, slowly moving away from The Wolf Man. He tried to turn his head, but I tugged on his finger.

"No, look at me." I replied.

He turned back to me with a questioning grunt.

"Just try to relax, okay? I'm here now! And as long as I'm here, I won't let them hurt you!"

I began to gently stroke his arm.

"It's okay. Just focus on me, okay?"

He continued to look at me, as his breathing steadied out. Eventually he began to shrink. And several seconds later, he was Albedo again. He stumbled onto his knees and I fell onto mine as well, pulling him close and hugging him to my chest.

"Sunny?" he asked in a weak voice. "Is it really you?"

I chuckled as I ruffled his hair.

"Yes, Dummy. It's really me." I said as I hugged him tighter.

"What? How...?"

I shook my head as I continued to hug him.

"I don't know, but it's okay. Because I'm here now! And I love you. I love you so much! I'm sorry I never said it before."

We remained there on the floor, just hugging each other.

 _Later_

Now I sat in a chair in the interrogation room, Albedo sitting in the corner, wearing a fresh set of clothes.

"Okay." Director Steel said. "I honored your request. So now, I want you to tell me everything you know about that night."

"I promise to tell nothing but the..."

Director Steel waved his hand in the air.

"Save it! You may have convinced me to let you sit down and explain yourself in a reasonable setting, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it!"

I sighed.

"Okay, well, I'll start at the beginning."

 _Two Weeks Ago – Mid-December_

 _That morning, I told Ben that I was working for the Forever Knights again. They gave me no choice. Unless I did everything, they told me to do, they would activate an electronic chip that they put into my brain, which would send me into a rage; a fury. If that happened, they promised that I'd kill my entire family, friend and foe alike, not knowing what I was doing until it was far too late._

 _I had to work for my freedom. Not that I actually wanted to ever work for them again. I hadn't been working for them for very long. Maybe only a few weeks. They gave me two choices. Either I capture Ben and bring him in for only God knows what, or I assassinate Director Steel of S.E.C.T. I opted for the least dangerous option. I wasn't looking to start a war. And if I had assassinated the Director, that's what would have happened. If I could get Ben to even surrender to the Forever Knights, I could have had more time to plot against them._

 _Present Day_

"Wait," Albedo said. "You're telling me that you would have used my brother as a bargaining chip?"

"It was my only choice. I couldn't assassinate Director Steel."

"Why didn't you tell us? We would have helped you!"

I shook my head.

"There was nothing that you could have done. If I had taken to long in deciding, they would have flipped the switch."

I turned to look at Director Steel.

"I wasn't ever going to attempt an assassination on you. Whoever did take a shot at you, I have no affiliation with them. I have no idea where to start looking. I _am_ telling you the truth. I'll take a polygraph test if that's what it'll take."

He stared down at me. And eventually he shook his head.

"That's okay." He said as he sat down. "I believe you. But now I want to know how you survived that night. Because you should be dead."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Let's hear the rest of your story."

I nodded.

 _Two Weeks Ago – Mid-December_

 _When Ben triggered the traps, I had to push him out of the way. He was no good to me dead. If he had died, my chance would have been gone. When I pushed him out of the way, my lower abdomen was pierced by two blades. It hurt like hell. And I'm sure I was dead. The last thing I remember is telling Ben not to tell Albedo about what I had been doing._

 _The next thing I know, I woke up in a miserable amount of pain. The blades were still embedded in my abdomen and I had been left behind. And to make matters worse, I could hear The Forever Knights. And they were close. I had to move. So, I got up and ran, no doubt leaving a bloody trail behind. I was forced to hide in the rafters when a patrol came into the room that I was hiding in. And the blood trail ended in this room, so he knew I was in there somewhere. I couldn't just allow him to alert his buddies._

I held onto the rafters as the Forever Knights agent walked past below me. The blood the from my abdomen dripped down onto his helmet.

"What the...?" he asked as he felt his helmet.

I let go of the rafters and dropped down behind him. He turned around and saw me. I had to do something, so I grabbed one of the blades that still protruded from my abdomen, causing my hand to bleed now. And then I pulled the blade out of my abdomen. It hurt like _hell_. It might have hurt even more than it hurt to be pierced by it. I cried out in pain as more blood splattered onto the floor.

But I didn't give the agent time to react. I stabbed him through the chin with the blade, the blade emerging through the top of his helmet. I pulled the blade out and he fell to the floor, no doubt being dead. I noticed that he had a first aid kit on his person, so I opened it and pulled out the other blade in my abdomen. After quickly patching myself up, I left the warehouse as quick as I could.

 _Present Day_

"Where did you go after that?" Albedo asked.

"I couldn't lead them back to you guys if they were onto me." I said. "So, I went to Grandpa Max's."

"Oh, that's great!" Director Steel replied. "You didn't want to endanger your housemates, so you decided to endanger Maxwell Tennyson, one of the most valued S.E.C.T. agents out there? Do you see how fucked that is?!"

I turned to look at him with anger.

"I'm cooperating with you. The least you could do is be an ass to me."

He let out a growl of anger as I said that, but he said nothing in return. I turned back to Albedo.

"Max agreed to shelter me and patch me up the rest of the way. After running some tests, he figured out why I survived that night at all."

"And?" Director Steel asked. "How did you survive that night?"

I turned to look at him once again.

"If you could be quiet for more than five seconds, I'd tell you!"

I turned away from him.

"After running a blood test, he found that the performance enhancer that the Forever Knights injected me with was still active. To a certain degree, anyway. He believes that it kicked in again, healing me just enough to keep me alive and seek out more advanced medical attention. Just enough to get me up and moving."

"That makes sense to me." Albedo said almost immediately.

"So, that's how you survived?" Director Steel asked. "Your performance enhancer just conveniently kicked in?"

"It's the only explanation I have." I replied.

"Okay. If you were there that night, then where were you for the last two weeks?"

"I had to stay low for a while. I had to make sure that they wouldn't find me again. I had to keep an eye on them as well. I have to know if they're planning anything."

"And are they?"

I shook my head.

"No. However, I infiltrated their science facility a few times. And I've heard whispers about them attempting to develop a full body interface for virtual reality or something like that."

"Why would the Forever Knights be interested in a virtual reality interface?" Albedo asked.

I shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they want it for combat training. I guess sim-training future agents would be advantageous. In the end, I wasn't able to find out much about their project. They seem to be keeping it a really big secret. I couldn't get closer to find out more. If they found out that I wasn't really dead, then it would be over for me."

I stopped speaking as I let out a sigh.

"Eventually I had to go back home. Everyone was going to be shocked that I was still alive. Ben wouldn't have been particularly happy, after what happened that night. But it's not like his reaction was going to matter in the end."

Albedo looked confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Ben wasn't there. In fact, he's been missing for the last two weeks."

"Wait, what?" he asked.

"Ben's missing? What happened to him?!" Director Steel exclaimed.

I turned to look at him and shrugged.

"I wish I knew. All I know is that he and Gwen went to sleep the night of the twenty third. Come the morning of Christmas Eve, he was gone. Gwen just woke up and he wasn't in bed, nor was he anywhere in the house. They didn't see him at all that day and for the next two weeks."

Both Albedo and Director Steel were silent.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Albedo finally asked.

I turned to look at him and shook my head.

"No. All I have right now is a theory to go off of."

"Theory? What theory?" Director Steel asked.

"I think that the Forever Knights may have something to do with it. And if their full body machine or virtual reality interface or whatever is real, then maybe they wanted to use Ben as a test subject."

He put his hand on his chin.

"That's reasonable. But why would you come back here?"

I looked back at Director Steel.

"Because. I'm going to need all the help that I can get if I'm going to raid their main headquarters."

"Raiding their HQ? What are you talking about?"

I looked at him still, now with a determined look in my eyes.

"I believe that the Forever Knights have something to do with Ben's disappearance. If he's at their base, then I want to storm it in an effort to get him out."

"And what if he's not there?"

"Then that'll be one more lose end taken care of."

"Lose end?" Albedo asked.

I couldn't turn to look at him.

"Over the last two weeks, I began to understand what Ben was trying to tell me and he was right. So, I'm going to kill Enoch for everything he did to us. Or, I'm going to die trying. I won't let anyone else get hurt because of me."

The room was silent for almost a minute after that. I looked down at the table.

"Please. Will either of you just say something?"

"Die trying?" Albedo finally asked.

"That chip in my brain." I said. "They'll activate it once they realize what's going on. Once that happens, I want anyone helping me to get as far away from me as possible. I probably won't survive the coming fight."

Once again, there was silence.

"Okay. I'll assign a squad of S.E.C.T. agents to assist you. Just let me know when you're ready."

 _Hmm. That was easier than I thought._

"Wait, hold on just a second." Albedo spoke up. "You aren't seriously thinking about assisting her in her march to Death's door!"

"She wants to take down their leader. This is something we've wanted to do for a while now, we've just had more pressing matters to deal with. The way I see it, we're doing her a favor just as much as she's doing us a favor."

"But this isn't right!"

Director Steel ignored him this time.

"Is there anything else that you'll need?" he asked me.

I looked back up at him.

"Yes." I said.

I then got up and quickly walked over to Albedo.

"I want my boyfriend back!" I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around his and pulled him closer to me. "If you're through with him, then I'll be taking him back with me! If I have a limited amount of time left, then I want to spend it with him!"

"Sunny, you've changed a little bit..." Albedo muttered.

I turned to look at him with an irritated gaze.

"Hey dummy, I almost died! The whole life flashed before my eyes!"

He looked offended, but eventually he just smiled with a chuckle. As I stared at him, I couldn't help but smile back.

"I love you." I said to him.

"I love you, too." He replied back.

I was about to kiss him when Director Steel cleared his throat. We both turned back to him.

"Well, as much as I would want to hand him over, I can't. We still can't figure out why he transforms erratically. I need him here until we figure out what's been causing them."

"Um, didn't he tell you?" I asked. "I'm the thing that keeps him under control. I don't know what it is about me, but he's never transformed while he's been around me. I'm assuming it was only when I left that it started again."

"You'd be correct."

"Does that mean that he can come home?"

Director Steel put his hand to his chin.

"Even though he probably put a few of my guys into the medical wing? I suppose so."

"Hey, I can't control myself when I'm in that form! I can't help the things that I did!"

Director Steel put his hand up.

"Kid, you need to calm down. I get that you weren't in control."

"We're the ones who should be telling _you_ to calm down." I replied. "You nearly shot me without a second thought!"

"But I let you explain yourself."

"That wouldn't have happened unless I had talked you down!"

He stared back at me for a few seconds.

"Fair point." He said at last.

"Director, I want a favor from you." Albedo eventually said.

"Yeah? And what would that be?"

"I want you to cure me! I don't want to live my life as a risk to the people that I love! I don't want to ever transform again! I want to get rid of it so I can live a normal life!"

"You're not normal regardless."

"Still!"

"Well, as much as I'd like to help you, there's nothing that I can do."

"What?"

"Sorry, the Loboan DNA has been unresponsive to anything we've tried. There's nothing we can do for that, but..."

"So, you're telling me that there's no cure?!"

He put his hand up.

"Calm down. Look, there is good news. The good news is that the Vladat DNA within your system responded to the anti-virus in the way that we were hoping it would."

"What do you mean?"

"The anti-virus began to kill the Vladat cells within your blood. However, before we could finish the job, you woke up and went berserk."

Albedo let out a sigh.

"Sorry."

"It's not like you can control it."

I spoke up now.

"If I'm here now, could you finish that process without him transforming again?"

"We could try it and see if you want to."

Albedo nodded.

"Do I have to be put to sleep for this?"

Director Steel shook his head.

"No. In fact, if Sunny can keep you from transforming, then I think it would be best for her to be in the room with us when we do this."

"Okay. Well, it there's a chance that it could work, and I could be one step closer to being normal, let's do it."

Director Steel nodded.

"Okay."

 _Sometime Later_

We were all in the medical wing now. Albedo was lying down on a metal slab, as I held his hand. One of the scientists approached with a syringe full of dark blue liquid. Albedo turned his head to look at me, having a look of dismay on his face.

"It's okay." I told him. "Just relax."

"Ben and I both are terrified of needles." He replied.

I couldn't help but smile at him as I chuckled.

"What's the matter?" I asked. "Is the big bad wolf afraid of a wittle needle?"

"Shut up!" he replied.

I chuckled again.

"It's going to be okay! Just focus on me, okay?"

He took a deep breath and nodded at me.

"You will feel a slight sting." The scientist replied as he got ready to inject Albedo with the anti-virus.

A few seconds later, Albedo visibly gritted his teeth as the needle pierced his skin. Eventually all of the dark blue liquid was injected into his system. His grip on my hand tightened after a few seconds. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Director Steel looking at a screen that displayed a model of Albedo's DNA helix.

The helix contained a mixture of mutated human, Vladat and Loboan DNA. As Director Steel said before, the Loboan DNA could not be removed from Albedo's system at this time. Everything that they had tried failed. After a few minutes of Albedo laying here and me holding his hand still, Director Steel eventually spoke.

"Okay, that's it. According to the model, your system is free of any traces of Vladat DNA."

Albedo sat up as the scientist dabbed his arm with a small piece of cotton.

"That's it? That was a bit anti-climactic."

"Well, it's a fairly simple procedure. It wasn't going to take very long."

"So, that's it? I'm good to go?"

"Good in terms of the Vladat DNA? Yes. However, keep in mind that you still have Loboan DNA running through your system. So, you can still transform given the correct circumstances. Just be careful."

"I know. We've been over this."

"Well, I suppose that you're free to go. Even though I'd like to keep you under observation, I know that Sunny will not allow that."

"You're damn right, I won't." I chimed in.

"You're testing my patience. Well, then, go on. Get on out of here."

I looked at Albedo and he nodded at me. After getting up from the slab, Director Steel saw us out.

 _Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

Albedo and I walked home, while I kept my arms around his arm and hugging him close to me.

"So, when do you want to do this raid on the Forever Knights?" he asked.

"As soon as possible. I want to start tomorrow if I can."

"You mean if _we_ can."

"Oh, right. Sorry, that's an old habit."

"That's alright. Who else do you want to help out?"

"Well, Gwen of course."

"Makes sense."

"Apart from the squad of agents that Director Steel offered, I think we're good to go. Oh, we may need a hacker for bringing their security system offline to buy us big enough of a window to get in."

Albedo didn't say anything and when he remained silent, I looked at him, to see that he was smiling.

"What?" I asked.

He turned to look at me.

"I think I know a guy."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it! The final chapter of 2019 for this story!

* I hope you enjoyed the progress that this chapter made over the year. I can't really think of anything else to say. So, with that said, this is going to do it for me. So, I hope you all have a Bwen-tastic rest of your year and I will see all you dudes in 2020!

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 111): And another great and very sad chapter congrats Poor Ben hi lost his best friend, his sister, and now his brother it was two very sad chapters BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad you liked this chapter. Um, I honestly don't think that Ben would consider Sunny to be a sister to him after what she pulled, that is, if you were referencing Sunny. But it's important to state your opinion, so good on ya! Thanks for the review, as always.

 _SSGSS Drakus (Chapter 47): it's a great fanfic so far I ain't done yet, but I keep reading ultimate spiderman the video game references in the dialogue. was that intentional cause I got it._

Thanks, Drakus. Yes, there's a lot of references to Spider-Man stuff in the story, definitely references to Ultimate Spider-Man (the game). Actually, if you're at Chapter 47 at the time of this review, then you would be near the end of The Organization arc. In all honesty, that arc is inspired by and is, in itself a love letter to that game. I absolutely love that game and I think it's one of the best Spidey stories ever told.

In fact, I was thinking of going back and editing past chapters to give some "author's insight". Basically, I'd shed a little light on the inspirations that came into play for some of these arcs. So, if that is something any of you would be interested in, please do let me know! Thanks for the review, as always.

 _haloguardian452 (Chapter 111): hm... i hope this is good, i usually hate back in time stuffs_

Thanks, Guardian. I wouldn't classify this as a "back in time" scenario, no. No, this is something completely different. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _mike204 (Chapter 111): good job with the chapter keep it up_

Thanks, Mike. It makes me happy to know that you think I did a good job with this chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: As Ben is seemingly reliving past events, he begins his attempts to change things in his past.


	38. Chapter 113: Comatose: Part 1

Chapter 113: Comatose: Part One

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome back to the story. So, I took a brief hiatus, even after the first of the year. And with classes starting up again, updates may become less frequent. I just want to make that clear.

* I may or may not have said it, but the story is about to take a turn. A big turn, that may seem confusing for a lot of you. Or all of you. I just ask that you try and bear with me as this next arc plays out. It'll be a long one, but with shorter chapters. So, with that said, let's get into the chapter.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Thanksgiving, 2017_

 _Ben_

I ran through the woods, as tears cascaded down my cheeks. I refused to believe that this was real. But it didn't matter. Just because I refused to believe it, that didn't change the fact. This _was_ real. From the very second that I emerged from my old room and walked into the kitchen; I knew that this was real.

 _Everyone was sitting at the table, just like they had been that day. Grandpa Max, my Mom and Dad. But of course, Gwen, Ken and their parents were absent. And Albedo and Sunny were absent as well, since they didn't exist yet._

The tears just kept coming. I didn't know if I was sad, angry or what. Maybe both.

 _They all looked up at me as the saw me enter the room._

" _Ben! You decided to come out and join us at last!" Dad said._

 _I was confused. I couldn't grasp the fact of what was going on._

I still couldn't believe it. Nearly a year and half of progress gone! Just down the drain!

 _Mom seemed to notice my confusion._

" _What is it, Ben? Is everything all right?"_

 _I probably shouldn't have asked my question, but I did anyway._

I couldn't accept the fact that all of the progress that I had made in that time was gone. Everything that I had done, but especially all the progress that I had made with Gwen, gone. And so, I cried. I cried because I didn't know what else to do.

" _Where's Verdona?" I asked._

 _That was a mistake._

" _Who's Verdona?" Mom asked with confusion._

 _I was about to speak again, but I stopped myself. I shouldn't have even asked in the first place. I already knew the answer to my question, yet I had asked anyway._

I continued running, as I saw a light in the distance. I was nearing the crash site. I had to be.

 _Mom turned to Dad._

" _Carl, isn't that your mother's name?"_

 _Before Dad could answer, I shook my head._

" _Never mind. Look, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a little while."_

 _I moved towards the back door as Mom spoke up._

As I continued running, my foot hit something and I tripped. I fell to the ground, causing dead leaves to flare up all around me. I almost began to get up, but then I stopped myself.

" _Ben, you should really eat something!"_

" _I'm going for a walk." I repeated myself. "I just need to clear my head. I'll be back soon."_

 _I grabbed the sliding door, opened it and stepped outside, closing it behind me. I stood there for a few seconds. And then I started running, which brings us to now._

I remained face down on the ground. I didn't want to get up. However, I realized something as I laid there. The sooner I got the Omnitrix back, the sooner that I could make everything go back to normal. Sure, it would take a while, but I could do it! With a sigh, I pushed myself up and stood again. The crash site was only a yard or two away now.

I slowly walked closer to the crash site and eventually, I found myself standing in front of the crater. The crater had a small fire on one end of it, just like it had the first time that I was here. And of course, there was a pod in the crater. I slid down the slope and approached the pod, as it opened with a hiss. Inside was the Omnitrix.

It was exactly the same, as I thought it would be. I didn't look around. I knew that no one was watching. I took a deep breath, as I anticipated what would happen next. I reached out toward the pod, knowing that the Omnitrix was about to leap onto my wrist. Not even a second later, it jumped from the pod and latched onto my wrist.

I still jumped, even after knowing that it was going to happen. My heart was hammering in my chest. I needed to relax, calm down. I took a couple of deep breaths, just to try to get my heart rate to slow again.

"It's okay." I told myself. "This is normal. Everything is normal."

I climbed out from the crater after I calmed down a bit. I was one step closer to things going back to normal. I could relax a little bit now. However, I was completely unaware of what was about to happen. My situation was about to take a unexpected turn. I heard someone clear their throat. I turned to look in the direction of the noise and I saw someone standing there. I was overcome with shock when I realized who it was. It was Nathan Black and he was standing on the other side of the crater.

 _Why... No, how is he here?! He shouldn't even be in Bellwood right now! He didn't start going to school with us until next December!_

"What are you doing here?! Why are you in Bellwood?!"

He looked somewhat confused.

"I go to school here in Bellwood, remember?"

I shook my head.

"No, you don't! You don't start going to Madison until next year! You're a transfer student!"

He looked unhappy, opposed to confused now.

"You might want to consider being a little nicer."

"This doesn't make any sense! What are you doing here?" I repeated.

I just now realized that the Omnitrix was in its default setting. I quickly changed it to its camouflage mode. Nathan apparently didn't notice that I did this.

"Look, you don't know why you're here yet, but in time you'll begin to understand. Remain vigilant on your mission and most importantly, don't make so many fucking screw ups this time!"

I didn't understand what he was trying to say.

"What are you talking about? I don't know why I'm here yet? Remain vigilant? Don't make so many screw ups this time? What the fuck is going on here?!"

He didn't answer my question. Instead, he said something even more confusing.

"Just know that during your mission, the past will push back against you. And it will push back hard. The past doesn't want to be changed. But don't let that stop you. You just have to push back harder."

"What in the actual fuck are you talking about? What is this, a Stephen King novel?!"

He didn't respond. At this time, I thought I heard something behind me. So, I turned around. However, there was nothing there. I took a deep breath as I prepared myself to look at Nathan once more.

"Okay." I said as I turned back to him. "Could you at least try to make some sense?"

He was gone. Literally gone. Nowhere to be seen.

"God damn it!" I exclaimed as I walked over to where he had been standing. "What was he even doing here anyway? And what the fuck was he talking about?!"

I looked around the area, expecting to see him hiding somewhere. But did I see him? No, of course not. Once I realized that he was gone and that I wouldn't find him, I took a few steps away from the crater.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

He had said something about the past not wanting to be changed.

 _You know what? Maybe this wasn't so bad. I was reliving my past. So, maybe I could change it. Maybe I could stop a few bad things from happening along the way._

I let out a sigh.

"Well, it looks like I have some changes to do." I muttered as I began to walk away from the crash site.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for the chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed the beginning to the next story arc.

* That's about all I have. But, before I go, I do have a quick word from Nathan's creator, annihalator2015!

* Hello Readers! I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday, and I hope you were also anticipating the return of Bride to Be after the Holidays! Due to not getting any feedback concerning Nathan, or even any questions for the matter, I've decided to allow readers who happen to have Discord to also forward any feedback to my account there. My handle is Wyatt Harrington#2820, so if any of you have any questions you'd like to ask about Nathan, feel free to ask me there, or simply send me a PM on FanFiction! Now unfortunately, that's all the time I have for right now! So until we next speak, have a good one folks!

* So, with that, I'm going to go. So, have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _mike204 (Chapter 112): good job with the chapter keep it up and see you in 2020!_

Thanks, Mike. I'm glad you thought the chapter was good. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 112): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story still. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: As Ben begins to change his past, he starts out making small subtle changes: trying to change events that took place at Madison High following Thanksgiving Break. And then he tries to make bigger changes that he's not ready for.


	39. Chapter 114: Comatose: Part 2

Chapter 114: Comatose: Part Two

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome back to the story. I can't really think of anything that I need to say, so let's just get into the chapter. Actually, I do want to say something. Since this arc, being a retelling of sorts of Volume One, is slated for about twenty parts, I can't implement every piece of story seen in Volume One. I'll only be implementing the story points that I consider to be the most important. So, don't be surprised if one of your favorite storylines gets cut in this reimagining.

*Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late November, 2017_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

After obtaining the Omnitrix once again and having a weird conversation with Nathan (who had no business being in Bellwood in 2017), I headed back home. I already knew how to use the Omnitrix, no need to test it and transform into Heatblast. I walked back into the house through the back door, to see that my relatives were still sitting at the table. They were having pumpkin pie for dessert.

"Ben!" Mom spoke as she got up. "Sit down and have some pie!"

"No thanks." I said as I walked past the table. "I'm gonna go lie back down."

On the way to my room, I heard whispers from the kitchen and so, I stopped in my tracks to listen.

"Carl, he just refused to eat pumpkin pie! That is his favorite dessert! He is your son! You have to speak to him! I know he doesn't want to talk about what happened, but he is obviously not well!"

I didn't have to stand and listen to what Dad would say, but I did anyway.

"Sandra, no amount of talking will help him. This is something he has to accept on his own. He'll come around when he's ready."

I turned around and finished the walk to my room. I spent the rest of the night in my room after that. Grandpa Max came to say goodbye before he left and after that, I was pretty much left alone for the night. After that, I made a decision. At this point, my past (or at this point, was it my future?) was fresh in my mind. However, if this was permanent, then my memories of past (or future, in this case) events may become hazy.

So, I thought that it may be in my best interest to write down a record of these events from memory to the best of my ability. So, there I was, sitting at my desk in the corner of my room, writing down everything I could remember into a spare notebook. That's what I was doing when Mom walked in to kiss me good night. When she saw that I was writing in a notebook, she stopped.

"What are you working on?" she asked.

"Homework." I replied, trying to keep it simple.

"I thought you didn't have any homework over break?"

"I don't. There's this project thing for school that I want to get a head start on."

"Alright. Good for you, then."

I turned to look at her standing next to me.

"Look, I don't want to sound rude or anything, but can you clear out? I want to get this done so that I can go to bed."

She gave a kind of look that told me she wasn't pleased with what I said.

"Okay. Good night."

She began to walk off after that without another word.

"Good night." I said as I watched her walk away. "Love you!"

She didn't say another word to me as she left my room, closing the door behind her. I wasn't trying to be rude when I said it, but I suppose that I deserved the cold shoulder. I turned back to my notebook and continued writing. The last time I was here, I waited until she came in here to tell me good night, then I slipped out to test out the Omnitrix.

That obviously wasn't necessary this time around. I sat there, continuing to write down everything that I could from memory. I finally finished, so I decided turn and look at the digital alarm clock behind me. It was just past midnight. I sighed, before I stretched and let out a yawn.

"At least it's not past one in the morning." I replied.

I shut the notebook and got up from my desk. I grabbed the notebook and walked over to my bed. I pulled up my mattress for a second, sat the notebook under it and then sat the mattress back down over it. I didn't need anyone finding this. I think it's obvious that would be bad. I pulled my sheets and comforter back, before taking off my jeans and putting on a pair of pajama pants. I then shut off the light in my room and got into bed. I yawned once more as I put my hand underneath my pillow.

"Hopefully tomorrow is a better day." I replied.

It was then that another thought crossed my mind.

"Or better yet, hopefully this is all just one bad dream."

I didn't give in another thought as I began to drift off.

 _November 27_ _th_ _, 2017_

 _Madison High School_

Well, guess what? No matter how much I wanted it all to be a dream, I woke up the morning following Thanksgiving, still in the past. Shit. Well, now it seems that I really am stuck here. Once I fully embraced that fact, I decided to get used to what was going on, before I tried to do anything.

And here I was, back in school the Monday after Thanksgiving. I decided that I was going to focus on taking notes on anything that seemed out of place. And I had to do that while going to my classes and doing the daily work. Multitasking had somehow never seemed tougher. I made it through the first couple hours of the day and came to my Algebra-IIA class. As soon as I got into class and sat down at my table, he entered the room. It was Kevin!

"Holy shit, Kevin is still alive!" I whispered to myself. "Maybe I can fix this all at once!"

I froze up a bit as I began thinking.

 _Wait, I'm stupid! Of course, he's still alive! I referenced him a few times in my notes! I already knew he was alive! Maybe it's just the shock of seeing him again after so long. Yeah, that has to be it._

He sat down next to me at our table.

"So?" he asked. "How was Thanksgiving for you, bro?"

"Boring." I replied.

 _Yeah, boring, yet somehow interesting at the same time._

"Yeah." He said. "At least we're a little closer to the end of the year, though."

"That's true."

"Are you doing swim team at the beginning of 2018?" he asked.

"Yeah. You should, too! It'd be interesting to have a friend on the team!"

He shook his head.

"No way, dude. After school time is my time. I'm not wasting my time on after school activities."

"Fine. Whatever you say, man."

 _It felt good to be bickering with Kevin again. It was just like old times. It could always be like this. If I could just change things, I could make sure that Kevin would always be here!_

Just then, he nudged me.

"Well, here comes the teacher. I guess we'll talk later, huh?"

I nodded, not even paying attention to what he was saying. I was currently deep in thought about how I was going to try and do this.

 _Sometime Later_

It was lunchtime and I was sitting by myself, with my notebook open, continuing to take notes. I was writing a few notes in the first couple pages of the book, where I noted my school life after getting the Omnitrix.

 _Kevin still alive. The past can be changed, I just have to be careful._

I made sure to write this in black ink, just so that it stood out. Just then, something green and wet splattered all over the page, making it virtually impossible to read.

"What the hell?" I asked out loud.

I looked up, to see Kevin, J.T. and Cash, sitting a few tables away from me. Kevin was holding a slingshot and they were all laughing. I rolled my eyes and looked back down at my notebook.

"Thanks." I said as ripped out the page that I was writing on. "Now I have to write this page all over again."

I looked down at what had splattered all over the page. It looked like... green beans?

"Hold on, they flung a carrot across the room when this originally happened. So, what's with the green beans?" I silently asked myself. "Wait, no. They flung a carrot at me before Thanksgiving Break. This is after Thanksgiving and this definitely didn't happen before! What's going on here?"

Just then, someone sat down in the chair next to me.

"Hey, buddy." I said without looking at him. "There's a whole cafeteria's worth of seats that are empty. Can you do me a favor and go sit somewhere else?"

As I moved to grab my backpack, the person next to me spoke.

"You fuck with the past, it'll fuck with you."

I turned to my right, to see Nathan sitting there.

"What the fuck?" I asked. "Where did you come from?"

I then realized what I had been doing before he sat down and moved to shut my notebook so he couldn't see. However, he must have read my mind because he put his hand up.

"Don't bother, mate. You have nothing to worry about."

I didn't listen to him and continued to put my stuff away. I turned back to him as I was doing this.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "And what in God's name were you going on about on Thanksgiving?"

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly before cocking his head and looking at me.

"Oh please, that wouldn't be sporting of me at all, not to mention it would ruin the fun if I told you clearly what you had to do. You'll know what you need to do when the time comes, and I'll only clear things up when there's no other option."

 _Could Kevin and them see this right now? Did they see Nathan talking to me?_

I turned to look in their direction, to see that they weren't even looking at me anymore. They were just talking and laughing their asses off. I let out a sigh.

"You obviously know something that I don't." I replied. "You don't get to do that. Tell me what's going on here."

He didn't answer me.

"No, seriously man." I said as I turned back to him. "Tell me every..."

He was gone. He was no longer in the chair; it was like he had evaporated. I let out a sigh of frustration.

"Nathan, how the hell do you do that?"

 _Later That Night_

I replaced the page that I lost when I got home, so I was all good on that front. At lunch, I saw Kai walk past and I almost got up from my table to go insult her. But there would be no point in that. So, here I was back home, trying to figure out what I needed to do next. Or what I should do next, rather. I knew what I needed to do; I just couldn't think of how to do it. There was so much that I wanted to get done.

I wanted to keep myself from burning down a building, like I did early in my first summer with the Omnitrix. I also wanted to keep Kevin from gaining his powers, that unlike the first thing, should be easy. And if I keep him from gaining powers, then he can't die. But as I said, I had no idea how I should pull everything off.

I think that I might need help on this one. I don't think I could do this alone. I needed someone that I knew I could trust. Above all, I needed someone who could understand my problem and who could believe me. I needed...

 _Wait, that's it! I need Gwen! If I can find Gwen, I know that I convince her to believe me and help me! She'll believe me, she has to! She knows me!_

I had made up my mind about it.

"Alright, Nathan." I whispered to myself. "I'm about to fuck with the past."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this one. Overall, what did you guys think? Do you think Ben is going about things the wrong way? Please, if you have any thoughts or comments whatsoever, do let me know.

* Well, I think that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _mike204 (Chapter 113): Good job with the chapter keep it up_

Thanks, Mike. Glad to know that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 113): And another great chapter congrats Ben is trying to change his future? Let's see if he can make it. Good luck Ben And good luck at school WebofSpideyguy7245698._

Thanks, Jason. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the good luck, Jason. And thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: The following day, Ben seeks out Gwen at the private school in Bellwood that she attends. However, he isn't expecting to run into a strange figure that will stall his plans.


	40. Chapter 115: Comatose: Part 3

Chapter 115: Comatose: Part Three

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen. In this chapter, things will be taking a turn. That's all I'll say.

* With that said, let's get into the chapter.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _December 1_ _st_ _, 2017_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

The week was over. And I somehow got through it okay. As much as I wanted to go find Gwen the following day, I had to wait for the school week to be over. So, here I was on Friday afternoon, after school had let out. I had to talk to Mom about where Gwen went to school. And so, I did. I went out into the living room, ready to ask her about it.

"Hey Mom, where does Gwen go to school at?"

"Your cousin Gwen?"

"Of course, my cousin Gwen. Which other Gwen would I be talking about?"

She shrugged before answering.

"She goes to a private school. St. Agnes, in Downtown Bellwood. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious. Could I uh, borrow the car keys and drive up there?"

"I suppose so."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you ask?"

I felt a wave of cold pass through me.

 _Why was she being like this? Did she know something that I didn't?_

"Look, she's my cousin and we haven't seen each other in like ten years! I just thought it'd be cool to catch up with her!"

She continued to look at me but eventually spoke.

"My car keys are in my purse on the counter."

"Thanks, Mom." I replied, trying not to show how excited I was.

I walked into the kitchen and took Mom's car keys from her purse. I then walked through the living room and to the front door.

"Bye, Mom. I'll be back in a little while!"

"Okay. See you soon."

I opened the door, stepped outside and almost ran into Dad who was just getting home from work.

"Oh, hey Dad!"

"Hey there. Where were you headed, Ben?"

"Out to St. Agnes in Downtown Bellwood to see my cousin Gwen."

"Okay. Have a good time then."

And just like that, he walked past me and into the house. I turned back to look at the door as it shut behind me.

 _What was that? Mom acts like she suspects something, but Dad doesn't? What is this?_

I decided not to dwell on it and continued walking to Mom's car. After getting into the driver's seat and starting the car, I put St. Agnes' address into my GPS after Googling it. And then, I was off.

 _Sometime Later_

 _St. Agnes, Downtown Bellwood_

I had arrived. I parked Mom's car across the street from the school's gates and got out. I looked up at the building past the gates. I couldn't see much but from what I could see, the building looked big. I began to approach the gates now. As I did, I noticed a person lying on their side on the sidewalk, wearing dirty black trench coat, as well as a dirty, battered black fedora. He looked like some sort of beggar, but I paid no attention to him. However, as I continued to approach, he began to stir.

"Hey, you." he said in a gruff, hoarse voice. "Wait."

I put my hand up in front of myself.

"I can't spare any money, I'm sorry."

However, it seemed that he wasn't interested in money, as he began to approach me. I now noticed that the clothes underneath his coat were black and dirty as well. He was also wearing dark grey fingerless gloves. And he had a wild beard of black, graying hair. His skin looked to be covered with the same sort of black grime that covered his clothes.

"You're not supposed to be here." He said at last.

I narrowed my eyes with surprise.

"What?" I asked.

He continued to approach.

"You're not like the other people here. You're special somehow, aren't you? You have to leave! Leave right now!"

I backed up with a sudden fear that I hadn't felt before.

 _What was he talking about?! Did he know who I was? Did he know that I'm from the future and that I'm trying to change my past? No, that's fucking impossible! No one could know where I was really from! It didn't make any sense!_

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I exclaimed.

"You can't be here. You being here messes everything up! You need to leave right now!"

I backed up, ready to defend myself from this lunatic if I had to.

"No, I'm fine. What you need to do buddy, is to back off. Get the hell away from me!"

My words didn't seem to intimidate the man in the slightest. And that really didn't surprise me. I was honestly scared right now, so I don't think that even I could intimidate myself, if that made sense. He shook his head.

"No. Leave now. You being here risks everything! Your being here could destroy everything!"

"Calm down and get the hell away from me! This is your last warning!"

He chuckled.

"My last warning? What are you going to do if I don't back down?"

That was a good question. In all honesty, I don't know what I could do. I was essentially just bluffing!

"Well, I could..."

Before I could finish my sentence however, I heard the sirens of a police car from behind me. It sounded like it was getting closer to us and fast. So, I did what no one else would do and turned around. The police car zoomed past as I turned around, creating a gust of wind that kicked up a bunch of old papers and plastic grocery bags that had been sitting in the gutter next to the curb.

I was surprised to say the least. And you know what else? As I turned around, ready to do my best to intimidate the guy, I noticed that he was gone. Just gone, like he had never been there. I was as confused as ever, but now that he was gone, I could continue with what I was doing. I once again began approaching the gate.

As I began approaching, I noticed a bunch of students walking past on the inside of the fence. And all of them were female, wearing skirts, leggings, tennis shoes and jackets over what I assumed were dress shirts and ties of some sort. I shut my eyes and imagined a conversation that Gwen and I had last summer.

" _Wow. So, basically it's just teams competing in just swimming underneath the surface to the other side?"_

" _Yes. Jesus, Gwen! Doesn't your school have a swim team?"_

 _She just shook her head._

" _Really?"_

" _I went to an all girl's boarding school for the past three years. We never had a swim team. We don't even have a pool."_

I opened my eyes once again, my trip down memory lane now over. Well, technically this whole thing has been a trip down memory lane. And I was still here. So, maybe this whole trip down memory lane thing wasn't really over yet? I let out a sigh.

 _Why must I overcomplicate things?_

I stepped a little closer to the gates and you wouldn't believe it. I saw her. On the other side of the iron fence, was Gwen. She was walking with a group of other girls, laughing as she held a couple of textbooks close to her chest. Her fiery red hair, tied back into a ponytail, waved in the wind as she walked. Well, that was easy. I found her, now all I have to do is talk to her.

 _Wait, hold on there, buddy. Don't you know how time travel works? Nothing is ever "that easy" when it comes to time travel._

Even though I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, I didn't stop in my tracks. I walked right up to the bars of the fence, grabbed them and spoke.

"Gwen!"

She stopped walking, as did the other girls that she was walking with and began to look around. Once she saw me, her eyes locked onto mine.

"Gwen, it's me, Ben!"

I thought that she'd say something, anything. Finally, someone spoke. But it wasn't Gwen who spoke.

"Do you know him?" one of the girls asked her.

And you know what Gwen did? She just shrugged and moved on with the other girls, without even looking at me a second time. As she disappeared from view along with the rest of the girls, who I assumed to be her friends, I hung my head in defeat.

 _I don't understand. She knows me! She acted like she didn't even recognize me! Yeah, it's been a while since we've spoken, but she doesn't need me to tell her that I'm her cousin, right? Right? She shouldn't question if she knows me!_

So, what happened? I shut my eyes and began to think.

" _Just know that during your mission, the past will push back against you. And it will push back hard. The past doesn't want to be changed. But don't let that stop you. You just have to push back harder."_

"That's it!" I exclaimed as I opened my eyes. "Nathan said something about the past not wanting to be changed. If I try to change something, the past will push back! But, how do I push back harder?"

I began to think once more, as I stepped back from the iron fence. I turned around, almost expecting to see that man, but no. He wasn't there.

 _He had said that I shouldn't be here. But why? What was so bad about me being here?_

As I began to think, I began to cross the road again, back to where I had parked Mom's car.

 _And he said that "my being here risks the destruction of everything" or something like that. What the hell does that mean?_

I couldn't make sense out of any of this. What had started as a normal (well, as normal as things could get right now) day had just turned into an especially weird day. And too weird for my liking. I finally made it back to Mom's car and got back in. I let out a sigh as I shut the door.

"I don't get it!" I groaned. "Am I doing something wrong?!"

Before I could even get the car started, it happened.

"Tennyson, Tennyson, Tennyson." Someone said.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, but after recovering, I turned in my seat, to see Nathan Black sitting in the passenger seat.

 _Okay, let's go through the two obvious points here, shall we? One, Nathan Black was in the car and I had no idea how he got in! And two, I probably should have been getting out of the car right now, but I was just too fixated on how he was in the car, that I couldn't tell myself to move._

"What the fuck?" I finally spoke. "How did you get..."

Nathan held up his hand before I could finish.

"Quiet. Let me speak. Tennyson, I specifically told you not to fuck with the past, and you did the exact opposite, just like the past nine times I told you. Every time you've tried to break the loop your own way, trying to change things so it doesn't end badly, you ended up making things worse. Looks like I've got to explain it to you after all. I've never really been here, I'm not even Nathan! I'm the personification of your subconscious, because that part of you knew what was happening the moment the first run occurred. You've been in a coma from the very beginning and you have been for a while mate. And as a result, your brain has conjured up something to keep you going, lest you become a vegetable. So, remember in your next run to just let the past happen the way it did, and the loop will end, and you'll finally get back to the real world."

I just stared at him, trying to make some sense out of what he just said. I slowly began to nod.

"Okay. So, let me get this straight." I said. "You mean to tell me that this is all in my head? That I didn't really time travel somehow? And that you're not really here? That I've just been talking to myself each time you appear out of nowhere?"

"Quite so."

"Oh man, oh man. Um, can you give me a few seconds here?"

He nodded.

I rested my forehead on the steering wheel as I gripped it so hard that I'm sure my knuckles turned white.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy. Everything's okay, every..."

"No one ever said you're crazy, Tennyson. Well, the death of your friend Kevin certainly fucked you up a little bit, but you aren't crazy."

I turned to look at him with anger.

"Hey, fuck off! You shouldn't even be able to know about that!"

"Subconscious, remember?"

"God damn it!"

Nathan, or my subconscious, I guess, laughed at this.

 _You know what? Fuck it, I'm still going to call "him" Nathan. Calling "him" my subconscious is just too confusing._

I let out another sigh.

"Okay, okay. Well, I have questions."

"Ask away."

"If you're really my subconscious like you say you are, then why do you appear as Nathan? Why appear as him of all people? Why can't it just appear like me? Since you know, it's a part of me?"

"Please mate, you've never really been one to act all mysterious like, and even less so your own subconscious, which will be even more shifty than your waking self. So, I look like the mysterious new guy, who's so far been the one to bring your unconscious and roughed up half-brother to your home, have the speed, stamina, and strength of an Olympic athlete in a football game, sorry, soccer game, thanks to you Yanks deciding that it needs to be called something completely different. And the guy who helped stop Director Steel from bleeding out after taking a large caliber rifle round to the shoulder, showing a proficiency in patching up gunshot wounds. Yet you know pretty much nothing about him. Seems like you thought that'd make a better guise for your subconscious then yourself. So, voila!"

"You said 'the last nine times'. What does that mean? You've told me maybe twice now, not counting us talking now. So?"

"This is not the first time that you've been here. You've been run through this thing nine previous times."

"Bullshit! That's not true! How do you explain my lack of memories of such a thing?"

"Simple. You've mentally blocked the memories because of the trauma that they have on your mind. You don't remember them and it's possible that you'll never remember."

I let out a long sigh as I looked down at the steering wheel, unsure if I believed myself. I must have been quiet for a while, as "he" spoke again.

"Tennyson?"

I looked back at him.

"I just can't make any sense out of this. You're not really here? We're not really talking right now?"

He shook his head.

"No way. I don't believe it." I said as I shook my head as well. "There's just no way."

"Do what you want. Whether you believe it or not, this is how things work in your current situation."

I let out another sigh.

"This is so much to take in. Wait, hold on. What about Mr. Trench Coat? What's his deal? Why does he act like he knows what I'm trying to do? It's almost like he's special and no one else except you is like that!"

"For one, I already told you. Subconscious. T..."

"Whatever!"

"Two, I'm afraid that I don't know anything about him, mate. Or rather, you don't know anything about him. As I stated before, I am your subconscious, an extension of you. So, in reality, it's not I who knows nothing about him, it's _you_."

I sighed again.

"Well, aren't you a bunch of help?"

I didn't wait to see the look on his face change; I just turned to look out the front windshield. I began to think as I stared at the wall several feet ahead of me.

 _What's so bad about wanting to change the past? Who wouldn't want to try to make their future better if they had the chance?_

"Why can't I change the past? It seems dumb not to! If had a shitty past, wouldn't you want to fix it?"

Nathan didn't answer.

"Nathan? Nathan?"

I turned to look at the passenger seat, to find it empty. He was gone, just like he had disappeared the last two times I saw him.

"God damn it." I cursed. "Why does he always do that?"

Eventually, I started the car again and put it into reverse.

"Well, better head home." I muttered as I backed the car out of the space I had parked in. "As if I have anything better to do."

 _Several Hours Later_

 _Ben's House_

For the past hour or so, I had been sitting on my bed, with my notebook open in my lap. As I sat there, thoughts of my talk with Mr. Trench Coat and the conversation with "Nathan" ran rampant. When I had opened the notebook, I had set out to note down the small changes that had occurred. But I'd be lying if I said that I got that done.

 _I think I see now why "Nathan" wants me to do nothing. He said that as I try to change things, I end up only making them worse. If that's true, then what's the point of trying to change things if I'll only get a worse future than the one I already know? Is it really worth risking a better future?_

I sighed and got up as I shut the notebook. I pulled up the mattress.

 _That settles it,_ I thought as I placed it under there. _I won't try to change anything. Even as painful as it will be, I have to let the timeline flow as it was always meant to. Some of it will be God awful to relive, but to get back to something that I'm familiar with? It'll all be worth it._

I put the mattress down over the notebook.

 _If I'm really to let go off all this, I have to do away with the book. I'll tear out the pages that I wrote on and when Mom and Dad aren't home, I'll burn them in the backyard._

"It's all bullshit, really. There's no way that all of this is in my head." I whispered to myself. "I can't believe that all of this isn't really happening. I'm _not_ crazy."

I turned off the light before laying on my bed, not bothering to change out of my day clothes or to pull back the sheets. I let out another sigh.

"Well, I guess tomorrow it'll be back to normal." I whispered. "I just wish that everything hadn't gone down the drain."

I yawned and rolled over onto my side, closing my eyes as I did.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this one.

* Overall, what did you guys think of this one? What do you think is going on with this "Mr. Trench Coat" character? Do you think it's justifiable for Ben to abandon his attempts to change everything if it means everything he knows will end up being worse?

* Do you think the two figures, that being "Nathan" and Mr. Trench Coat are pushing Ben in a negative direction? Please let me know all of your thoughts; I'm quite interested in hearing them.

* I believe that's going to do it for me. I'm going to go, though. So, have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _mike204 (Chapter 114): Good job with the chapter keep it up_

Thanks, Mike. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben begins to lie low, determined to let time flow as it was meant to. However, after a bit of a time jump, he begins to have second thoughts.


	41. Chapter 116: Comatose: Part 4

Chapter 116: Comatose: Part Four

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen. I can't think of anything that I need to say right now, so let's just get into this chapter.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late May, 2018_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

So, I'm skipping over a lot. But that's fine with me. Focusing on December and the months leading up to Summer of 2018 weren't really important to me. Besides, nothing really interesting happened and you aren't missing anything important. But just let me give a brief summary of what I'm leaving out.

So, I got grounded like I did before. Not really a surprise there. However, the reason for it this time was a bit different. I was fine in Chemistry class. What the problem was, was my obsession over fixing the past (which didn't last long). Um, I ran into Zombozo and his Circus Freaks, which that encounter ended like it did originally.

I stopped Animo from blowing up a bomb in Midtown, just like before. I know that I've been quite vague during the couple times that I've brought that up, but it's really lackluster. I'm being serious about that. It's nothing special by any means. I also discreetly reported Kevin's illegal fighting rings in the school basement to Principal Hannigan.

His fight club was shut down a day or so later. He never accused me of anything, but I'm sure that he suspects me of something. I also never used the fight clubs because there was no point to do so this time around. And so, that brings us to now: Late May of 2018. Okay, full disclosure I may have lied a little bit. I changed one thing before I gave up all together.

I stayed out of the spotlight as much as possible, in terms of using the Omnitrix to fight crime. That way, getting together with Gwen will be that much easier, seeing as she won't be taking pictures of my aliens this time around. Apart from that, I believe that everything will progress normally.

As far as I know, Mom and Dad weren't being careful enough a few months back and she got pregnant because of it. And I know this from them telling us when they got back from their trip in July, I think it was? And I'm pretty sure that she said she got pregnant in March, but I can't fully remember.

As I said, everything had happened as it had originally, so there's no point on dwelling on the past five months. I was sitting in the living room, on the couch, waiting for Mom to come tell be about their trip to Vegas. And she didn't disappoint. She came into the room only after a little bit of waiting.

"Ben?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Your dad and I have an announcement to make."

 _Don't even mention something about little brothers or sisters this time. There's no point._

"What is it?"

"We are taking a two week trip to Las Vegas."

"Oh, that's cool. I guess."

"You do understand that you're not going with us, right?"

"Of course. It's just you and Dad, right? Besides, why should I go? I'm not old enough to drink or gamble yet, so it probably wouldn't be very fun for me."

She looked at me with a surprised expression.

"That's a very mature thing for you to say." She spoke after a few seconds of silence.

 _Is it really?_

"So, is that it? It's just you and Dad going?"

She shook her head.

"No, your Aunt Natalie and Uncle Frank are going with us."

I got up from the couch.

"Cool. Well, I'll be downstairs when you guys are ready to go."

"Wait, that's it? You don't have any questions or anything for us?"

I shook my head as I began to walk towards the hallway to the basement stairs.

"No. Why would I? Anyway, I'll be in the basement."

I walked into the hall and towards the stairs.

"Um, okay then."

I began to walk down the stairs as I flipped on the light switch. You know, it never dawned on me why they waited until the very _last_ second to tell me about their trip to Vegas. I think that's weird. It's also kind of weird that Mom didn't even bring Gwen up. That's pretty weird. I walked over to the door across from the couch on the far side of the basement and opened it, to see an empty room.

You may recall me having a lab of sorts in here during the original timeline. However, I didn't get one this time around. I guess I didn't display enough of an interest in science for Mom and Dad to consider it as a Christmas present this time. It's not like I'm crying about it, though. I recall that I never really used it that much. Well, it'll be empty for when Albedo and Sunny move in this time.

I walked back to the couch and flopped down onto it. I didn't feel like watching T.V. or anything. I was just going to lie here and think until Gwen arrived.

 _About Forty Minutes Later_

It seemed like an hour had passed when I heard it, but it may not have been that long in reality. Eventually, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I took a deep breath as I sat up and looked at the bottom of the stairs.

 _Well, here she comes._

"Hey, Doofus!" I heard her speak as she came into view.

"Oh, hey." I replied.

I probably shouldn't have been staring at her, but I couldn't help it. She was just as beautiful as she always was. She had her red hair pulled back into a ponytail; she was wearing a simple blue T-shirt, jeans and black Nike shoes.

"Are you okay? You look kind of out of it."

I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay. So, what are you doing here?"

She gave me a weird look.

"Didn't your Mom tell you? I'm going to be staying with you for two weeks while your parents and mine go to Vegas."

I shook my head.

"No actually. Now that you bring it up, she didn't mention you at all."

"Huh. Well, that's weird."

"Right? Well, actually, she probably didn't mention you because I didn't let her."

She gave me another weird look.

"What does that mean?"

"I may have been a little bummed out that I'm not going to Vegas, too."

She chuckled.

"Oh, yeah? Well, what were you going to do there, anyway?"

I shrugged with a sheepish look on my face.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure that I could have thought of something."

"Well, don't be so down about it! There's lots of things that we can do while they're in Vegas! We can order a pizza tonight, we can watch T.V.," she spoke as she began counting on her fingers. "We can go to the new water park that just opened, The Riptide Rapids Zone, we could go up to the middle school for open swim, we can play some Sumo Slammers, we could do lots of stuff!"

She threw up her hands to show how enthusiastic she was.

"Thanks, you're really selling all this to me."

"Hey, that's my job."

"So, what do you want to do first, then?"

She shrugged.

"I dunno. What sort of video games are you into?"

"Oh, you know. Call of Duty, Halo, BioShock, Fallout. A little of this, a little of that."

"Okay. Well, do you want to play some Halo, then?"

I nodded, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

"Okay, sure."

 _One Hour Later_

After an hour of a nostalgia trip of a Slayer match (which had ended in her winning), the game was over. Oh, Mom, Dad and my Aunt and Uncle had left as well. I nearly forgot to mention that.

"Well, that was fun." I replied as I got up and stretched.

"Yeah, it was." She replied as she got up and looked around the room. "You certainly have a lot of stuff down here."

I nodded.

"And you are welcome to use it anytime."

She turned to look at me with a grateful smile.

"Thanks. That's so nice of you, Ben!"

"No problem. You know, it kind of surprises me that we're getting along right now."

"Why? What makes you say that?"

"The last time we saw each other, when we were ten, we got into a fight. I said some things and you said some things. Well, you said that you never wanted to see me again."

"And you believed that?!"

I shrugged with another sheepish look on my face.

"Oh, come on, Ben! That was seven years ago, and we were kids! I don't think that we knew what we were saying then. Besides, I was really excited to see you because I thought that maybe we could start to repair our friendship!"

 _Seven years ago, huh? Well, this time it's only been about five months or so. And yet, it somehow feels like it's been longer than even that._

"So, seven years? Well, I'll tell you that it feels like it's been longer than that. But I'm glad that you want to try and pick up where we left off back then."

She gave me another weird look.

"Um, alright. That's an interesting way of putting things."

"Oh. Well, sorry."

"That's alright. But like I said, I don't think we meant what we said back then."

"Yeah. We just being the brats that we were back then."

"Yep. We were growing up and we pretty much have."

She chuckled as she began to approach me.

"Speaking of growing up," she spoke as she pulled up my sleeve. "Where did these guns come from?!"

I felt my cheeks heat up as she looked at my biceps, that I had worked on in the previous months.

"Well, you'd be surprised what happens in seven years."

 _I obviously had to start from scratch in my exercise routine. So, I talked to Dad about me wanting to work out, but not having proper equipment. He told me to wait until Christmas and so I did. The holiday eventually came around and just like it had happened originally, my gifts for Christmas were a Spider-Man comic book signed by the authors, the clubhouse with workout equipment and my own car. The only difference this time is that I didn't get a chemistry set. I'm just glad that I got the clubhouse again. Both for having a place to hang out with my friends and needing a place to work out, more so because of the latter, I couldn't live without it._

She let go of my arm and backed up again.

"So, do you want to go upstairs and play a board game or something?" I asked. "Then after a while, we can order a pizza for dinner."

"Sure!" she replied.

We began to walk up the stairs, with her going in front of me.

"I'll pay for the pizza."

"I can split the cost with you, Ben!"

"I don't think so. As my guest, I won't have you pay for our dinner. That's my responsibility!"

"If you say so."

 _An Hour and a Half Later_

We watched T.V. and played Battleship until around dinner time. Once the pizza came, I let her pick a movie to watch while we ate. And just as she had originally, she picked Finding Nemo. Well, after we had eaten and about halfway through the movie, I came to a realization. As we were watching the movie, I turned to look at her.

Her face: it was as beautiful as it ever was. For a second, I didn't know what it was, but I knew something was different about her. And that's when that realization that I had mentioned just now came into play. The light scar on her forehead, it was gone. The scar that she had received when Ghostfreak hit her in the head with Hex's staff: poof, it was gone.

And the fact of her having a scar on her forehead, that's not a bad thing. I love her just the way she is, and a scar doesn't make her any less beautiful. But even so, what if I could fix it? What if I could fix my mistake of unleashing Ghostfreak and therefore, she never gets that scar? She doesn't have to go through trauma! I turned away before she'd notice me staring.

 _Things didn't have to go that way. I could fix everything. I can keep her from ever being hurt and with that, I can keep a lot of things from happening. I can change the future. I can and I have to._

 _One Hour Later_

After the movie was over, we said our good nights. I went to my room and she went to the guest room, which would eventually become the room that we'd share. Once I got into my room, I put on a different T-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, before I got down to business. I walked over to my mattress and lifted it up, to reveal the notebook that I had I used to record my notes and events of the future in late November and Early December.

Yes, I had decided that I was going to burn the pages that I had used. But Mom and Dad never left the house for long enough for me to do it. So, I never got around to doing it. And now I'm thankful for that. I grabbed the notebook and put the mattress back down. I walked over to my desk and sat down, placing the notebook down as well.

I opened it and began to read the notes that I had left. I took a few minutes to briefly go over my notes before I began to think again.

 _I have to do this. I have a chance to make Gwen's life significantly better. So, I have to do this. I was selfish for not wanting to change history if it risked me getting a worse future. This is everyone's future that we're talking about and I have the power to fix it all. So, if I had to potential to change things, what kind of person would I be if I didn't try to fix things? It was settled. I was going to try and change the future; no matter what the cost was._

I picked up my mechanical pencil that had been sitting on my desk and got ready to write.

 _Fixing my future could consist of a lot of things. There are so many things that I can do. I can keep Gwen from encountering Clancy, therefore preventing him from resenting me. I can keep Kevin from getting powers and dying. I can keep Albedo from being infected with Loboan and Vladat DNA. I can... I can..._

That's when I got an idea. You may call it a terrible idea, but I think it wasn't that bad, at least. I turned one page in the notebook and came to a date in the middle of June. Or maybe it was early June? I looked at the entry about us being captured by The Forever Knights and began to write.

 _Sunny doesn't have to exist._

After having a few months to think about it, I now see Sunny as my greatest failure. I could stop her from ever existing and therefore, I could also stop a whole fuck ton of bad stuff from happening. It might not be a priority, but I think I have to try at least. I put my pencil down and looked at my notes again.

 _Okay, so that's my game plan. If I want to begin changing things, then the first thing I need to do is stop myself from burning down that apartment building. When is that anyway?_

I flipped to the first page of my notes and looked. My eyes widened as I read the date. I got up from my desk and let out a groan as I fell backwards onto my bed.

"Shit!" I whispered.

According to my notes, I had less than a day until it happens.

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this one.

* So, what did you all think? Do you approve of everything that Ben did in this chapter and what he decided to do? Like, do you think that he's making the right decision when he lists off all of the things he'll change? Speaking of which, I know that some of you may be angry about the decision to try and keep Sunny from existing, but if any of you are angry, just chill out. I would hope that by now, you all will get the gist of this story arc.

* But that's all I got for now. I am going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 115): Congratulations on 100 reviews._

Thank you, Daniel. I appreciate that. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 115): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thank you, Jason. I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: As Ben prepares for his mission, he pushes to get together with Gwen faster in the timeline. Unfortunately, he begins to experience a series of step backs that slow his progress.


	42. Chapter 117: Comatose: Part 5

Chapter 117: Comatose: Part Five

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen. The only thing that I'll say is that starting in this chapter, we'll see a vast departure from the history that we know. That's all for now.

* So, with that being said, let's get into this chapter.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late May, 2018_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

It was getting late. Well, it wasn't midnight yet, but it was still getting late. And I was stressing over how I had only a little over twelve hours until I had to do my first objective. I just couldn't get past it. I got up from my bed, which I had been lying on for what could have been half an hour. I didn't really know what to do right now. I was to stressed to even consider sleeping. And if I didn't go to sleep tonight, I'd be tired tomorrow. If only I could talk to someone about this, maybe, just maybe I could get some advice and relax a little.

 _If I could just talk to someone,_ I thought.

I walked over to my nightstand, where my phone was sitting, plugged in and pulled it from my charger. I entered my passcode and opened my contacts list, scrolling down to Gwen's contact information. Before we ate dinner, we exchanged each other's contact information. I tapped on the button to text her.

 _Me – Hey, are you still up?_

I honestly didn't expect her to answer me, so I walked over to my desk and put my phone down. I then walked back to my bed and flopped down onto it, putting my face into my pillow.

 _What if all of my objectives come this quickly? If that's the case, then I won't have any free time at all. I won't have any time to myself with everything happening so quickly and I'll always be stressed. And tired, too. Tired and stressed._

The sound of my phone vibrating woke me up. I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I flung my legs to the edge of the bed and got back up. I walked back over to my phone, sitting face down on the desk.

 _How much time had passed since I dozed off?_

I picked up my phone, flipped it over and looked at it. Gwen had gotten back to me within less than a minute.

 _Wow, I guess I didn't doze off after all. It only feels like it._

I read the message she had sent me.

 _Gwen – We said our good nights only twenty or so minutes ago... Lol, of course I'm still up. What's going on?_

I let out a sigh.

 _Well, here goes nothing. I pretty much have everything to lose._

I nervously typed out my response.

 _Me – I need some advice. You don't need to leave your room, but do you think you could help me out?_

It took her thirty seconds, maybe less to text me back.

 _Gwen – Depends on what kind of advice you need. So, what's up?_

 _Me – So, there's this girl that I think I like, but I don't know how to approach her. I don't expect you to be an expert, but do you have any tips that would be helpful?_

Maybe a minute passed before she texted back.

 _Gwen – Romance, huh? Well, that's a tricky subject. All people work differently, so there is no one definitive answer. Some people will be wooed by you and others won't. You just kind of have to shoot your shot and hope for the best._

 _Shoot my shot, huh?_

I typed out my response.

 _Me – Okay._

I now took multiple nervous, rapid breaths as I typed my next response.

 _Me – So, will you go out with me?_

And you know what? No answer, whatsoever. Five minutes passed easily, and she never texted back. I began pacing my room in a panic.

 _She probably turned off her phone for the night and most likely will just pretend like I didn't just text her that. This is what she did before. She practically denied that I confessed to her. Hell, she even refused to believe that my confession was real._

I kicked my wall out of frustration.

"Time travel is fucking stupid." I cursed to myself. "I wish the Omnitrix had an alien with that ability, so that I could prevent myself from doing that."

Just then, something happened that both surprised and confused me: There was a knock at my door. And it was a gentle knock, definitely not what I would have expected. I would have expected an aggressive knock, but no.

"Come in." I finally broke the silence in my room.

The door then opened and there she was. She was wearing thin pajama pants and a white tank top. She had a nervous look on her face as she approached. And that's when the other unexpected thing happened. She slowly, gently and hesitantly put her lips on mine.

I didn't try to force her into deepening the kiss, I just let it happen. After several seconds, to test the waters, I gently took one of her hands. She then hurried to grab my other hand and deepened the kiss just a little bit. This seemed so familiar, but yet so strange.

Well, to be fair, it had been months since we last kissed and it usually wasn't nervous like this. Eventually she pulled away and looked at me, with the same nervous look. She felt her lips as she looked at me, but was silent. I finally broke the silence.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Are you sure? You're awfully quiet."

"Yes. It's just... It's just that this seems so weird and morally incorrect. Taboo."

 _Uh-oh, that's not a good sign._

"But it also feels right in a way? I feel like I should be offended or something, since this isn't something we should be doing, but I'm just happy, I guess?"

 _Oh, so maybe I thought too soon._

"So, this is okay then?"

She nodded.

"Yes. Well, for now, at least."

"For now? What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know how your parents or mine will react to this when they get back."

 _Oh, I have a feeling that I know._

"But until then, I think I'd be okay with being with you. If that's what you want."

"Okay. But you want to be with me. Right?"

"I... don't know. It's just too early. It's weird, but it also feels right."

 _Uh-oh. Now I feel like I forced her into a relationship._

"If you don't want to be with me, I won't rush things. In fact, we don't have to be together if you don't want to be. We can pretend that this didn't happen."

"No, it's okay, really!" she said as she tightened her grip on my hands. "It may take time for me to get used to this, but really do think that I'm okay with this."

I nodded.

"Okay."

"That being said, why do you want to be with me? What did I do?"

I shrugged.

"I don't really know. I know we haven't been reunited for very long, only a few hours. But I just feel like that I want to be with someone like you."

"Okay. I won't say no to that."

I couldn't help but smile at her and she did the same.

 _Our romance started out awkwardly last time, but we eventually got to a stable place. I know it's not the case, but this feels even more awkward. I wonder how our romance will develop this time around?_

"Um, before anything else happens, I need you to do something for me. And it's something really important."

"Okay. What is it?"

I put my hand on her back and steered her over to my desk.

"Okay, Gwen. You're going to question me, but trust me when I say that this is important." I said as I pointed down at my notebook. "I need you to read this. It really is important."

As I thought, she gave me a bit of a weird look.

"Okay, um, do I really have to? Is it really that import...?"

"Yes." I interrupted her. "I know you must think I'm crazy, but this really is important. More important than you can plausibly imagine. So, please. Gwen, do this for me. I wouldn't ask you to read from a notebook if it wasn't really important."

She looked at me again, as if asking me to confirm one more time.

"Please. Just read it, Gwen." I said as I nodded. "All of it."

She finally sat down at my desk and began to read. She read for maybe a minute at the most, turned one page, read a little of the next page and then turned back to look at me.

"What the hell is this?" she asked with a slight chuckle. "Is this some sort of shitty fanfiction of yours?"

I blushed at that for some reason. I let out a sigh.

"No, but I wish it were that simple. What that is, is a record of all future events. Or, past events, depending on how you look at it. It's all very confusing, but these events are going to happen within the next six or seven months, unless I stop them from happening."

She looked at me with the most confused look possible.

"All future events? Unless you stop them? Hold on." She spoke as she got up. "Tell me the truth here, Ben. And don't fuck with me on this. Just tell me what I want to know."

I nodded at her.

"Ben, are you from the future?"

I took a deep breath.

 _Well, I considered letting Gwen in on my situation. And I've done everything that I've had to do, but now I just have to do the last step. And this ends in one of two ways. Either she thinks I'm crazy and calls the whitecoats, or she doesn't. Simple as that._

"Yes." I finally said.

The expression on her face didn't change and she didn't move or say anything. She just narrowed her eyes a little.

"How far into the future?"

I began to count on my fingers.

"Well, if we're in late May right now, then I'd say maybe seven months. Eight at the absolute most."

"So, then you're about one year older than me? If you traveled back through time?"

"That's correct. And I didn't travel back through time intentionally."

She looked down as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Gwen, I know how it sounds. You think that I'm fucking crazy, you must think that! But I promise you, I'm not lying. Everything I've said is true. I'd never lie to you; you must know that!"

She didn't respond.

"Gwen?" I asked.

She still didn't respond.

 _Shit. See, this is what I feared. I fucked up. I shouldn't have told her the truth. She doesn't believe me in the slightest._

But then, she looked back up at me. And much to my surprise, she was smiling.

"Gwen?"

"I believe you." she finally spoke.

 _Sometime Later_

Maybe forty five minutes or so had passed, and we were now lying on my bed, with the lights in my room turned off. She was lying on top of me and we were cuddling just like we had done in the past. Or was it the future? Ah, fuck it, I don't care.

"I still can't believe that you believe me."

"You're right. You'd never lie to me."

"And what about the Omnitrix?"

"Well, it's crazy, I'll say that. But it's not as crazy about this whole time travel thing. I still believe you, though. Speaking of time travel, how did you get back here? To the past, right?"

"Mmm-hmm. And I don't know. One night towards Christmas of this year, we fell asleep. And the next morning, I woke up here. Back on Thanksgiving of last year, 2017."

She sat up to look at me as she rested her back against the wall that was adjacent to my bed.

"Oh, so you didn't just get back here, then? You've been here for a while?"

I nodded.

"So, what kept you from changing stuff when you first got here, like you told me?"

"Oh, that. That's a roller coaster of fuckery. You sure you want to open that bag of tricks?"

"I've believed you so far, haven't I?"

"Fair point. Well, there's going to be this kid that goes to school with you and I, and Albedo. His name is Nathan. Nathan Black."

"And what about Sunny? Isn't she coming with us?"

"No." I said as I shook my head. "No, she will not."

"She won't? Why not?"

"Because, if things go the way that I want them to, then she'll never have existed."

I saw her give me a look of uncertainty in the darkness.

"Did Sunny do something bad for her to deserve such a fate?"

I shook my head.

"No, she didn't. If I'm being honest with you, I do actually like Sunny. She's an interesting person and it's good to have her around. It's really my fault."

" _Your_ fault? How's that?"

"I didn't pay enough attention to her and I let my guard down. I thought it was okay to trust her and she betrayed my trust."

"What did she do?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll make sure that it never happens again. That's what matters."

"Is Sunny really that bad for her to not deserve a second chance?"

I heaved a sigh.

"No, in all honesty. She's not a bad person. She just had bad luck. Bad luck enough for her to do something that's unforgiveable. And unforgiveable enough, to me anyway, to warrant my preventing her existence."

She looked at me with uncertainty still.

"We'll come back to this another time. But back to this Nathan Black you mentioned. What's up with him?"

"He's interesting, I'll say that. There seems to be something off about him, but I don't know. He seems like a swell guy."

"A swell guy?"

"I don't know anything about him, but I just have this feeling that he means well. I get a sense that he's a good person."

"Oh."

"But this is where it gets interesting. So, he isn't supposed to arrive until December this year. And yet, he was here back in November for some reason."

"And what was he doing here so early?"

"Being really sneaky. Apparently, no one else has noticed him. And he's tried to convince me of something pretty outlandish, even for my current situation."

"And what's that?"

"He tried to convince me that none of this is real. That I didn't really time travel, that I'm stuck in some kind of loop. And that I'm currently in a coma. I don't believe him at all. There's no way that's legit."

"You're right. Even for your current situation, that's just bonkers. I can see why you don't believe him."

"Oh, and I didn't even mention how he's not even the real Nathan. He claims that while all of this "isn't happening", that he's a projection of my subconscious, because I guess I chose the shadiest stand in available?"

"Okay. Are you sure that he doesn't have issues?"

I shrugged.

"Well, I'm honestly not sure what to think of "him". Something weird is going on for sure, though."

"And this Nathan kid wasn't enough for you to jump to that conclusion?"

"Oh, he's just the tip of the iceberg."

"Well, enlighten me."

"So, I forgot to mention why Nathan was one of the reasons I decided not to change anything for a while. It's because he claims that in trying to change the future, I'll just make it worse. He says that the only way out of this "coma" is to let the timeline flow like it had before. He also claims that I've been here nine times now. That I've made nine attempts. I just don't remember them."

"And what explanation did he give for you not remembering?"

"He insists that I've mentally blocked all of my memories of my previous attempts."

"Yeah, he's definitely cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."

I shrugged off her accusation.

"Well, like I said: Nathan was only the beginning. There's another figure, who I've dubbed Mr. Trench Coat."

"Why do you call him that?"

"Because he wears a battered, dirty, black trench coat, along with a battered, dirty, black fedora. And he seemed to know exactly what I was trying to do, before I was even able to it! He seemed to know that I was trying to change the future!"

"Alright. So, what's so special about him?"

"That I don't know. And that's what scares me. I know nothing about him, and he seems to know exactly what I'm trying to do. It's like he was just waiting for me!"

"Wow. It certainly sounds like you're in for a weird ride if you're going to try and do everything you want to do."

I put my hand on my forehead.

"Yeah, you're telling me."

"There's just one thing in all of this that I don't understand."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Why tell me about all of this? I mean, I'm honored and all, but why do I need to know?"

I let out a sigh.

"You needed to know because of how stressed I was. I just needed at least one person to help me carry this thing. And with the first thing I need to do happening tomorrow, I just needed someone who could give me advice or even help me. What I needed was an ear. And I appreciate you lending me yours for this. It's been therapeutic."

"You're welcome. And you can rest easy knowing that I'm here for you whenever you need advice. And I'll help you through this whole thing and I'll always be here to support what you decide to do."

"Well, you actually can't help."

She looked at me as if she were offended.

"I can't? Why not?"

"Okay, let me rephrase that. You can't help, unless I'm absolutely sure that it's safe for you to do so. Gwen, I just can't risk losing you."

The look on her face softened.

"Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense."

"But Gwen, how do I do this? I mean, if I have to do this tomorrow, which I do, it just stresses me out so much, how do I get past it?"

She was silent for a few seconds.

"Gwen?"

Well, she eventually spoke.

"I guess that you just have to do it. You can't let your stress impair your focus. You just have to get it done so you can rest easy knowing that you'll get a better future."

"Oh. Well, thanks."

"Yeah, I know it's not much. Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm expecting too much of you. I couldn't realistically expect you to have solid advice after I revealed something that crazy to you."

After that, we just sat on my bed in silence, listening to the sound of the crickets chirping outside.

"Hey, I have another question."

I turned to look at her.

"What's up?"

"This might sound weird, but did you try to come visit me up at St. Agnes in December?"

I lifted my knee up and put my hands on my shin, as I left my other leg outstretched in front of me.

"Nah. Why do you ask?"

She looked surprised.

"Really? I just thought that I saw someone there who looked like you. He knew my name!"

 _See, I'm still focusing on this like I'm trying not to change the timeline. But now that I know that I'm going to try and change everything I can, there's no longer a point to act like this._

"Just kidding. I said that I'd never lie to you. Yeah, I went up there to see you in December. It kind of disappointed me that you didn't recognize me, but I'm not surprised. It honestly felt like the past was pushing back. You know, since it doesn't want to be changed?"

"Yeah, you did mention that. Why did you come up to see me, anyway?"

"I just needed to see you. Part of me wanted to recruit you early into this. And the other part just didn't want to lose you again."

"Lose me again? What do you mean?"

"Well, I guess I never lost you. In the original timeline, I almost lost you several times. And that's a feeling I can't bear anymore. When you didn't recognize me and after a talk with "Nathan" and my encounter with Mr. Trench Coat, I was forced to be without you for just a little while longer."

She got on her hands and knees and crawled over to me.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that again."

She then put her lips against mine and we kissed for a few seconds. Once she pulled away, she looked at me again.

"What is it?" I asked.

"There was obviously something that had to have happened to make you change your mind about trying to change the future. So, what was it?"

"Honestly? It was you, Gwen."

Even in the darkness, I could see her cheeks turn bright pink.

"Me?"

I nodded.

"Well, what about me?"

"Just your face. Seeing your beautiful face again did it for me."

"So, that's why you were staring at me at dinner!"

I was surprised.

"Oh, so you noticed?"

"Of course, I did. I'll always be able to notice if you're acting weird. But regardless, what was it about my face?"

"In the original timeline, you eventually got this scar on your forehead."

"A scar?"

"Yeah, and it's a light scar, you can hardly see it. Before you ask, the scar didn't change the way I looked at you. I'll always love you, no matter what."

"Oh. That's a really nice thing for you to say."

"Thanks. And like I said, your scar's no big deal. If I can prevent you from getting it, cool. But if I can't, I don't really care. The way I see it, if I can make your life just a little better than it was in the original timeline, then I should do it. I have to make sure that you're always okay and that you're happy."

I could sense her blushing again.

"And it's not just you. That helped me realize that I have a responsibility to help others with my knowledge of the future. I was being selfish just thinking about myself. I can help so many people that suffered because of my screw ups, by making sure that they never happen in the first place. I can keep my best friend, Kevin, from dying! If I can change the future to make it better, what kind of person would I be if I didn't try at all?"

"I understand where you're coming from. And I'm happy to know that it's me who inspired you."

"Good. I'm glad."

We began to sit in silence again, before she spoke after a minute or so.

"So, when do you have to stop this Animo person tomorrow?"

"Sometime in the afternoon."

I turned to look at the digital alarm clock on my nightstand.

"And it's almost one in the morning. If I'm going to do what I need to do tomorrow, I'm going to have to go to sleep soon."

"Okay." She spoke as she began to get up from my bed. "Well, I'll leave you and go back to my room."

Before she could get all the way up, I reached out and gently took her hand. She let out a light gasp as she turned back to look at me.

"Will you stay with me? Please?"

I could see her blushing, but she eventually nodded.

"Of course, I will."

We then got under the covers, with her on top, snuggling against me.

"Well, good night then." She said.

"Good night. And Gwen?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She didn't say anything, but after a few seconds, she tightly gripped my hand in hers.

"I love you, too."

 _The Next Morning_

"Ben, wake up!" I heard Gwen's voice as I woke up the following morning.

My eyes snapped open, as I heard the sound of birds chirping from outside.

"What?" I asked. "What time is it?"

"You're not going to like this."

"Just tell me." I said, as I sat up, causing her to do the same.

"It's just a little past noon."

"Shit! It's the past trying to push me back!" I cursed as I got out of bed. "I have to go now. I don't have much time."

"You can't stay and have something to eat first?" Gwen asked as she followed me.

"No. As hungry as I am, I have to go now."

"Can I come?"

"No, I'm sorry. This is just too important for me to skip and it's too dangerous for you to get involved."

She let out a sigh. I turned to her and put my hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. But I have to do this. And it could be dangerous, so I can't have you risking yourself!"

"I understand. Just be careful, okay?"

"I will."

I then pulled her in for a kiss, which she returned with passion. Once she pulled away, I moved to my closet and opened the door. I began taking out the pieces of my costume, which were all there.

"What are you doing?" she asked in an uncertain tone of voice.

"Getting out my costume." I said.

"You have a costume?"

"Yes."

I began looking for my wrist gauntlets, only to realize something.

"Shit, I don't have my wrist gauntlets! And I don't have the spare parts to make them because I don't have a lab anymore!"

"You had a lab?"

I nodded.

"Yes, because of my interest in science in the original timeline. And now, I don't have it. Wow, I didn't take that into account."

"What were your gauntlets for?"

"They were just for getting around faster. But I can manage without them."

I began to take off the clothes that I had worn last night and got my costume on. Once I had my costume on, save for the mask, I turned back to Gwen.

"Well? What do you think?"

She stared at me for a few seconds, before she eventually burst out laughing.

"Wow." Was all I said after a few seconds.

She was laughing so hard that a few tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She said as she wiped the tears away. "You look great, really!"

"You don't think that. You're lying. You think I look ridiculous like this."

"No, seriously! But do you really need a costume?"

"It's more of a precaution, actually. Just in case the Omnitrix times out and I'm in public, I don't want people to know who I am."

"If you say so. Well, I've kept you long enough. You should go now."

I nodded.

"Right."

 _Half An Hour Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I had used XLR8 to get to the Downtown area quickly. And I also used his speed ability to run up a wall and to get onto the roof of a building. At that point, I timed out and all I had to do was wait after that. I'm pretty sure that I was across the street from the apartment complex, but could I really be that sure? Several minutes passed without any sign of Animo.

"Come on, Animo." I whispered. "Where are you?"

It's at that point that it happened again.

"You're not supposed to be here."

I turned around immediately with shock, to see him. It was Mr. Trench Coat, dirty and grimy as ever, standing a few feet away from me.

"What the fuck?!"

"You're not supposed to be here. You need to leave!"

I just stared at him with shock.

"What the hell are you doing here?! Were you following me?!"

"You're not supposed to be here! What you're trying to do will have consequences! Horrible consequences!"

He seemed to ignore my questions.

"Look, I'm asking you to back off! You're really creepy and I want you to leave me alone!"

"Leave now! Your plans jeopardize everything!"

That's when the Omnitrix turned green again.

 _Okay, that's not normal. It shouldn't have recharged this quickly!_

I ignored my surprise and activated the Omnitrix. I turned the ring until I found Heatblast's silhouette and pressed down on it. Once I transformed into Heatblast, I stepped closer to Mr. Trench Coat.

"I'll ask you one more time. Back off, now! I won't hesitate to attack you if I feel threatened!"

He didn't seem to feel threatened. He didn't look scared, he didn't take a few steps back, nothing. I was feeling even more scared now to be honest. Before either of us could say anything, I heard an alarm going off and I turned to look at the apartment building, to see that it had gone up in flames.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed, now with the knowledge that I had failed to keep the fire from starting.

I turned to look at Mr. Trench Coat, to see a somewhat disturbing sight. He was waving at me, with an eerie smile on his face. He then began to slowly turn to dust, until he had disappeared. Once he was gone, not even the dust remained. I was alone again. I turned back to the apartment building, which was burning bright as ever.

 _I missed Animo because that fucker distracted me! There's no other explanation!_

I continued staring at the apartment building. I had to get in there and stop Animo. But, I'm Heatblast, and I know how this will end!

 _Okay, remain calm! I just have to focus! I can absorb all of the fire and when Animo freezes me, as long as I really concentrate, I can thaw myself out without burning down the building!_

I took a deep breath.

 _Okay. Let's go do this thing!_

I jumped down from the roof of the building and then ran towards the apartment complex. Once I got the entrance, a few people ran outside and immediately saw me.

"It's okay!" I exclaimed as I put my hand out. "I'm here to help, I won't hurt you!"

It didn't matter though. As soon as they saw me, they ran off screaming. I let out a sigh as I ran into the apartment building.

"Anyone still here?" I shouted.

"Help! Help me!"

I began to absorb all of the fire around me, before slowly beginning to walk up the stairs to the next floor. If my knowledge of this event was correct, that person calling wasn't even real. It was just Animo using a voice changer or something. So, if I could move quick enough and get the drop on Animo, I could keep myself from getting frozen this time! As I got near the top of the stairs, I got ready to throw fireballs as soon as I'd get to the next floor.

 _Fuck it! I'll just attack him and give him no chance!_

I then ran the rest of the way up the stairs, ready to attack. And as soon as I got up there, I was blasted by cold water, killing the buildup of fire that I had started on. I tried to blast him with all the strength that I had left, but it didn't work. He continued to hit me with the water, causing me to fall to the floor. He then froze my hands to the floor. He slowly began to walk over to me and once he reached me, put his metallic boot on my chest.

"Well," he spoke at last. "That was easier than I thought."

 _Damn it! I shouldn't have called up the stairs! That revealed my position to him and if I had just stayed quiet, I could have gotten the jump on him!_

"You sent me to prison." He said as the helmet retracted to reveal his face. "And it's payback time!"

"Why do this? Why burn down a building, Animo?!"

"Well, because I had to get your attention once I saw you!"

"Saw me?"

"Yes. I saw you screaming at the top of your lungs on a rooftop. I had no idea that it was you until you transformed into that alien form of yours."

 _So, I caused myself to fuck up this time because I was being too loud when yelling at Mr. Trench Coat? So, I'm the reason for my failure._

"So, what were you doing yelling on that rooftop anyway?"

"None of your business. You wouldn't care anyway."

He just stared down at me, before nodding after a few seconds.

"No matter. The main thing here is that you've reached the end of your days."

"What do you mean?"

 _As if I don't already how this will end._

"Before I tell you about that, let me tell you my favorite thing about heroes."

"The thing that people enjoy the most about heroes, more than anything else, is that they love to see them fall. Die trying."

 _And you apparently love to quote the Green Goblin from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man._

"Where are you going with this?"

"Well, why do you continue to be a hero?"

"Because it's right. It's who I am, who I strive to be."

He took his boot off of my chest and completely froze me to the floor, leaving only my head exposed.

"Here's the real kicker. There are thousands, if not a couple million people in this city. And you help out a damn lot of them. You help them and brighten their days, every day, time and time again."

"Come on, get on with it!"

"The thing is that after everything you've done for them, eventually they will hate you."

He then completely froze my face. This was now going to end the way it had originally, unless I could control the rate at which I thawed out.

"Think about what I said, my friend! It won't be long until your heart stops and freezes over, along with your vital organs!"

He then walked down the stairs and froze the completely, so that it was impossible for anyone to get up or down them.

 _Alright, here I am again! I have to thaw myself out just like last time! If I can control it, I can save the building!_

And so, I began to try. And after a while, I let out a scream.

 _A Few Minutes Later_

Well, guess what? I failed. The building was in ruins and I had failed to control myself from thawing out. And I felt even worse about it than I had when this happened the first time. There had been a perimeter set up around me and the ruins of the building's first floor, which is pretty much all that remained.

A dozen or so police officers were trying to keep the civilians from getting pictures, but they were doing a terrible job. I began to move forward and this caused a few of the police officers to draw their weapons. They pointed their weapons at me, but I kept walking forward. Even though they had their pistols pointed at me, they never fired.

As I approached the police and civilians alike moved out of the way, creating a path for me to get through. As I pasted, I heard gasps of awe from the civilians, as others questioned what I was. I finally got past the crowd, walked across the street and I used my powers to "fly" up to the roof of the building in front of me. Once I got up there, I could hear the Omnitrix beginning to time out.

I turned back into my human form and slid down against one of the walls on the roof. I pulled off my mask and threw into onto the floor. I then put my hands on my face, feeling like I was crying. I pulled my hands away from my eyes but left one on my chin, as I stared off into space.

"Jesus, Tennyson." Someone said from out of nowhere. "What have you done?"

I looked up, to see Nathan Black standing a few feet away from me. I didn't question him being here this time. I just sniffled, as I wiped a tear from my cheek.

"I'm changing the future." I said. "I have to."

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I know that this was a long one, but regardless, I hope you enjoyed.

* Speaking of that, what did you guys think of this chapter? Do you like how Ben and Gwen got together much earlier (I don't think anyone wouldn't like that)? Was he right to tell her everything and ask for her advice? What do you think of his encounter with Animo in this new timeline? And what do you guys think of the Mr. Trench Coat character, who made his second appearance this chapter? Please do let me know of any theories or comments that you have; I'm very interested in knowing what you all think.

* And on that happy note, I think that'll do it for me. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 116): And another great chapter congrats Ben wants to change future uhu it will be hard BWEN Forever_

Thank you, Jason. Yes, changing the future will be hard. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 116): You're welcome. And Ben was sent back in time. The timeline was reset. Right?_

Thank you, Daniel. Ehhhhh, no, not quite. While it appears that the timeline has been reset, things aren't always the way that they seem. That may not be cryptic or anything, but I don't want to reveal everything just yet. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _aquestionableprecence (Chapter 116): Interesting chapter, and the idea of fixing the past is food, but the whole 'sunny is my greatest mistake, she doesn't have to exist' thing is dumb, what he was talking about before, not so much, but, he's ben. You're amazing! Please keep up the good work._

Thanks, Questionable. About your comment on the "Sunny situation", maybe just relax a little bit? You're going to eventually realize that the whole Sunny thing really isn't an issue. Um, while I appreciate the compliment, I don't see that at all. I'm anything but amazing honestly. Regardless of what you say, though, thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: After the incident at the apartment building, Ben finds out that the situation is worse than he thought. In the next event, he tries to prevent himself from being beat by Vilgax at the Riptide Rapids Zone. Someone makes an appearance earlier than they should.


	43. Chapter 118: Comatose: Part 6

Chapter 118: Comatose: Part Six

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen. The only thing I will say is that there may be a bit of a surprise at the end of this one.

* So, with that said, let's get into the chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late May, 2018_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

 _Ben_

"Jesus, Tennyson." Someone said from out of nowhere. "What have you done?"

I looked up, to see Nathan Black standing a few feet away from me. I didn't question him being here this time. I just sniffled, as I wiped a tear from my cheek.

"I'm changing the future." I said. "I have to."

"Don't you see what you're doing? You're making things worse! You need to stop what you're doing!"

I shook my head.

"Look, I don't care if you're real or not. I want you to leave me alone. Stop trying to tell me that it's not good to change my past."

Nathan gave me a look. A _disappointed_ look.

"You idiot! By trying to change your past you're just making it easier for them to dig deeper in! I'm not just trying to save your hide, but mine as well!"

I gritted my teeth, too angry to be confused.

"I don't know who 'they' are and I don't care! Just my subconscious or not, I know what I'm doing. Nothing, and I mean _nothing_ , you say will stop me from fixing everything!"

"Nothing?"

I turned and began to walk away.

"Nothing!"

As I walked away, he began to speak again. And he spoke in such an ice cold tone that made him sound angry. No, worse. He sounded mean! I had no choice but to stop walking and turned around.

"How about the pain of watching everyone you love, die by your own hands, knowing you did nothing to stop it from happening? Will that stop you from trying to 'fix' your past?"

He then approached with lightning speed and picked me up by my shirt. Now, I don't know how he could move so fast or how he could pick me up like that. But I couldn't think of that right now. Because I could swear to you that Nathan Black had become the scariest thing I'd ever seen. Sure, I've seen mutated space aliens and an alien werewolf, but this was different. It was almost like I was staring at a demon, with blazing, red flames where his eyes should have been.

"You listen to me, and you listen well." He said, no longer sounding human, but almost like stone grinding on metal. "If you continue this ridiculous crusade to stop everything bad that happened in your life, you'll make it _so much worse_ and the pain and grief you felt when Kevin died will be a small puddle in comparison to the Hell you'll throw yourself into if you don't fucking listen. Stop what you're doing, and let the past be, Tennyson."

He then dropped me and I fell on my ass. Hard. As I rubbed my backside I looked back up, to find myself now alone on the roof.

 _I didn't know what to think. First, I was confident about telling Nathan to fuck off. But now he had to go and try to persuade me to stop all of this. Did it work? Maybe. But I can't let that stop me!_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

After the incident at the apartment building, I waited until the Omnitrix recharged so I could use XLR8 to get home quickly. It took about fifteen minutes for it to recharge this time for some reason and another five minutes or so to get back home. When I got home and walked through the door, Gwen was waiting for me in the living room.

"Well?" she asked as she got up to greet me. "How'd it go?"

I sighed.

"Not good." I said as I walked past her and towards my room.

She followed me closely as I walked.

"Well? What happened then?" she asked as we walked into my room. "Is it that bad?"

I sighed as I dropped my mask on the floor, followed by dropping my gloves and leather jacket onto the floor.

"It's worse." I replied as I took off the top of my costume.

"How so?"

"The building still burned down." I said as I took off my shoes and jeans. "And I feel twice as worse than I did the last time this happened."

"Ben!"

I turned to look at her, to see that her cheeks were slightly turning red. I looked down; the only thing I was wearing were my boxers. I moved to my dresser and pulled out a pair of gym shorts.

"Can you just tell me what happened?"

I sat down on my bed.

"I was distracted, by Nathan and Mr. Trench Coat. Both of them showed up again."

"Both of them?"

"Yeah." I replied with a nod. "Both of them. Mr. Trench Coat distracted me, so I didn't notice that Animo had found me and was setting up a trap for me to fall into."

"And Nathan?"

"He showed up at the end and lectured me. He was disappointed that in the fact that I seemed to be doing what he told me and then I changed my mind."

"And what did you do?"

"I told him to back off. I told him that I'm going to do whatever I want and to just leave me alone."

"Do you think that he'll listen?"

I let out a sigh as I flopped back onto my bed.

"I can only hope. But I honestly don't think he will."

She got onto the bed with me and snuggled up against me.

"And what about that Mr. Trench Coat?"

"I don't know what to do with him. He doesn't seem to be phased by anything. He just does what he wants. I think he's stalking me, actually."

She was silent for a second.

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Thanks."

We laid there for a few minutes before I began to get up, prompting her to do the same. I walked over to my closet and got a white T-shirt out. I began to walk out of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I want to turn on the news."

I walked down the hall, back to the living room, once again with her following me. I sat down on the couch and she sat down next to me as I turned on the T.V. I turned to the news channel and prepared myself.

"There are still no reports of where this 'Alien Guy' is hiding." The newscaster replied. "For those of you who are just now joining us, about thirty minutes ago, the 'Alien Guy' burned down an apartment building in Downtown Bellwood, resulting in former tenants receiving and suffering from second-degree burns."

I stood up with shock.

"Wait, what?!"

Gwen stood up as well.

"So, I'm assuming that didn't happen in the original timeline?"

"No!" I replied as I shook my head. "The first time, it just burned down! No one was hurt from what I can recall!"

I looked back at the newscast.

"His actions today have convinced the people that he is not hero, but a public menace. If you see him, you are to report where he is. If you know where he is, you are to report where he is hiding. We are now going to go live to the Chief of the Bellwood Police, Chief Andrew Simmons, with his report on the situation."

The scene on the news shifted and I looked at the Chief of Police, who was standing at the stairs of the Police Station.

"Chief Simmons! What do you plan to do about the "Alien Guy"?" a member in the crowd asked.

"The so called vigilante, 'Alien Guy', burned down an apartment building today. And we're initiating a city-wide manhunt for him." Chief Simmons spoke. "If you see any of these ten 'aliens', you are to report them to the police force of Bellwood."

I fell back onto the couch and put my hand on my forehead. As I did this, pictures of all ten of my aliens appeared on screen.

"Oh. So, that's what they all look like." Gwen replied.

I turned off the T.V. I put the remote down and let out a sigh. Gwen sat down on the couch next to me.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know. I have no idea what to do now."

"Is there anything that I can do?"

I shook my head.

"No. I've lost confidence in myself."

 _A Few Hours Later_

A few hours passed after that point and now we were lying on the couch in silence. Well, Gwen did eventually break the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the future. About the one that you came from."

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Everything you can possibly tell me. If it pops into your head, tell me about it."

"Well, there's a lot that I could tell you. I'm not even sure where to start."

"Like I said, just tell me anything that pops into your head."

"Okay. Well, I guess to start, in the future, we're together. We've had a couple of rough patches, but we're still together. If that was the only thing that I could tell you, I'd say that's the main thing."

Gwen chuckled.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me."

"Um, there's really a lot of bad in my future, that's why I want to fix things so badly."

"If you just want to name off things slowly, one by one, that's fine with me."

"Okay. Oh, well there is one thing that I can tell you."

"Okay, shoot."

"In the future, if things go the way that they're supposed to, which they should, you'll end up having another cousin: my little sister, Verdona."

She sat up a little from her spot on top of me and stared down at me.

"You have a little sister?"

I nodded.

"Yes. And I'm thankful for her existence."

"Well, I suppose that's understandable. Where does her name come from?"

"Verdona is my Dad's mother, as well as your father, I think. And I believe that makes her our grandmother."

"Will we meet her one day? Your little sister's namesake?"

"It's tough to tell. It seems from Dad and Grandpa Max's point of view that she never cared much about Earth and left a long time ago."

"Oh. Well, that sucks."

"Mmm."

"What else can you tell me?"

"Okay, for this next bit, you're going to tell me that I'm crazy."

"Well, most of what you've told me sounds crazy, but I believe you."

"Okay, well here I go. In the future, we confirm the existence of a multiverse. I've crossed dimensions and met multiple other versions of myself."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How does that work?"

I sighed.

"I don't know. It's so complicated to explain."

"I would imagine. Jeez, the multiverse?"

"It really is complicated."

"I'll take your word for it. What else is there you can tell me?"

"Well, there's only one other thing that I can think of. And it's not a good thing."

"Just tell me."

I was silent for a second.

"Um, my best friend, Kevin, got himself killed."

She was silent after I said that for a few seconds.

"Wait. How?"

"The Omnitrix puts an enormous strain on the body when you transform. Imagine your cells being ripped apart and then put back together again once they match the DNA of the alien that you selected."

"Um, I bet. It sounds painful."

"That's what the Omnitrix does. It doesn't allow you to constantly transform, that way the strain won't harm you in the long run."

"And how does this cause Kevin to get himself killed?"

"He's an energy sponge."

"An energy sponge? What's that?"

"He's able to absorb energy. And that's what he did. He absorbed the Omnitrix's energy and he kept using it and using it. In the end, it caused to much stress for him to survive. He suffered a heart attack and died."

"When?"

"In about a month and a half. Maybe longer. And this time, I'm going to stop it."

She went silent after that.

"Well," she spoke after several seconds. "This just got dark."

And so, that ended our talk about the future.

 _Sometime Later_

Eventually, we retired for the night. This time, we slept in her room instead of mine. As we laid in bed, I held her close to my chest as I had last night.

"What's next on the timeline?" Gwen asked, breaking the silence in the room.

"I believe Vilgax's attack on the water park." I said.

"And when is that?"

"I want to say tomorrow. I'll check my notes in the morning."

Gwen snuggled closer against me.

"Okay. Good night, Ben. I love you."

I kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, too."

 _The Next Morning_

I would have expected that we'd sleep in the following morning. But, no. We woke up early and we were both out of bed by eight o'clock. After a quick breakfast, I went to go check my notes. And I can confirm that Vilgax's attack on The Riptide Rapids Zone was today.

"So?" Gwen asked from behind me as I continued going over my notes.

I nodded before speaking.

"Yep. The water park attack is today."

"When do we leave?"

"Well, originally I think we got there at around noon. And the attack happened an hour and a half later, I think? Two hours tops?"

"Okay. Then let's leave one hour earlier and get there at eleven."

"Alright then. Sounds good."

 _Several Hours Later_

 _The Riptide Rapids Zone_

Gwen and I had been at the water park for maybe two hours now. And I was expecting Vilgax to strike at any moment now. I just wish that I could remember exactly why he attacked the water park in the first place. Also, Gwen was wearing the same orange and blue striped bikini that she had originally worn. Anyway, to pass the time, Gwen decided that we should go down the tunnel of love. And who was I to refuse? So, we were waiting at the beginning of the tunnel, waiting for the employee to get it ready.

 _Alright, he's going to mention that we're a cute couple. Any second now. And... now! Wait, no. How about... now! Still no!_

"Alright, you two can get into the boat now." He finally spoke.

"Okay." Gwen said. "Come on, Ben."

I got into the boat with Gwen and we started forward.

 _Wait. So, the guy just isn't going to mention how we're a cute couple? Weird._

We were silent at first as our boat moved through the tunnel, but eventually Gwen grabbed my arm and hugged herself against me.

"See?" she asked. "Isn't this nice?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."

The silence continued as we moved still. Eventually I broke the silence again.

"You know, in the original timeline, we went through the tunnel of love."

"We did?"

"Uh-huh."

"We were together at that point?"

"Nope."

"Wow. That's interesting. Why did we go through, then?"

"Because you asked me to."

"Did I really?"

"Yep. And you want to know the weird part?"

"What's that?"

"In the original timeline, that employee that gets the boat ready for us, he comments that we make a cute couple. In this timeline, he does no such thing."

"Huh. That is interesting. Maybe it has something to do with you messing with the timeline."

I nodded.

"I would think so, yes."

We were in silence again for a minute or so, until she spoke again.

"So, when is this attack supposed to..."

Just then, the boat jerked to a stop, interrupting her and scaring both of us.

"Well, that was scary!" she exclaimed.

I nodded.

"We should get out here now."

She looked at me with confusion.

"Why?"

"Because the ceiling above us will collapse in a minute or so."

I didn't leave her time to question me, as I jumped out of the boat myself, forcing her to follow my lead.

"Oh! I would have thought that I'd be able to touch the bottom!"

I shook my head.

"Nope, it's too deep for that. Now, come on."

"How will we get out?"

"I have an alien that will help us. Hold on."

"Okay." She replied as I activated the Omnitrix.

I turned the ring until I found Ripjaws' silhouette and pressed down on it. I then transformed, my legs automatically turning into a tail due to me being in water. I turned to look at Gwen, who returned my look with one of shock.

"Look, I know it takes a lot to get used to." I spoke in his gruff voice. "Just come on now!"

I held out hand to her and she nervously began to swam toward me. I don't know why I held out my hand to her, seeing as she'd be riding on my back on the way out of the tunnel. Once she took my hand, I spoke again.

"Now, get on my back and wrap your arms around my neck. And hold on!"

She did as I told her got onto my back. Once she had her arms around my neck, we took off. As we moved through the tunnel, Gwen spoke.

"This is so weird but so cool at the same time! The thought of you getting to do this all the time almost makes me jealous!"

I chuckled.

"Well, it took me a while to get used to it. And trust me, this isn't as fun as I make it out to be."

"I refuse to believe that!"

"Eh, whatever you say."

Once we made it to the end of the tunnel and heard the screams of panic, I let Gwen off my back.

"Alright, this is where we part ways for now." I said.

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. Just go hide while I go find Vilgax. I'll find you when I'm done."

She nodded and off she ran, eventually leaving my field of vision. I then looked up at the sky, to see Vilgax's ship in the lower atmosphere of Earth.

"Alright, Vilgax." I replied. "I'm coming for you."

 _Ten Minutes Later_

After ten minute of searching and running from pool of water to pool of water because of Ripjaws, I found what I was looking for. Vilgax himself, who was currently charging toward me. I jumped out of the way before he could hit me. He then turned to look at me. He had the same octopus for a head and glowing red eyes.

"What is your species doing on Earth?" he hissed.

"Oh, I'm not of the species." I said. "I'm something else entirely!"

I then ran forward to attack and knowing Vilgax, that was the worst move that I could have made. He punched me in the stomach, stunning me and while I was stunned, he grabbed me and picked me up. He then slammed me back first into the concrete, causing me to groan. He looked down at me, before getting on his knee.

"Ah, now I see." He said as he used his talons to interact with the hourglass symbol on my chest.

I then changed back into my human form, accompanied by the flash of red light. I stared up at him.

"How the hell did you do that?!"

He just laughed back at me.

"You are just a human child? How funny!"

I (still) took offence to that.

"There's a difference between a child and an adult, Vilgax! Now, what do you want?"

He stared down at me with what I assumed was surprise.

"You know who I am. Good, that means my reputation precedes me. And if you know who I am, then you know what I want."

"You want the Omnitrix, right?"

"That device is rightfully mine. Hand it over, human."

"Really? I didn't see your name on it."

"I grow tired of your games! Hand over the Omnitrix or die!"

I was mainly stalling him at this point, waiting for the Omnitrix to turn green again.

"Yeah? What do you want for it?"

"What?"

"I'm not just going to hand it over to you for free! I expect something in return!"

He stared down at me with what I assumed was anger.

"Okay, then. If that's how you want to do things. I'll have to take it from you."

He reached to pick me up, I assume so, anyway. However, I jumped out of the way. And not a moment too soon, because that's when the Omnitrix turned green again!

"Don't touch that button!" he exclaimed in an angry tone as I got up.

"What, this button?" I asked as I activated the Omnitrix.

I quickly turned the ring until I found Fourarms' silhouette. I then pressed down on it and transformed.

 _I believe that I had used Diamondhead to fight Vilgax the first time I did this. Now, Fourarms seems like the wiser option._

Once I had transformed, Vilgax looked at me with surprise, but not for long.

"Alright. Death by brutality then. That works for me."

He charged toward me, but I repeated the move that he had used on me. I punched him in the stomach with one of my fists, stunning him and then punched him in the jaw. He then stumbled backwards.

 _Okay, I got one good lick on him. Now I just have to keep it up. I can't allow him to take a piece of the Omnitrix!_

Vilgax recovered from my attack and charged me again. And somehow, I managed to attack him again. I stunned him again and then used all four of my arms to pick him up. I then threw him into a container that was used to store noodles and inner tubes, along with other water park equipment.

 _I can't believe how much I am kicking his ass! I never did this good when I went up against him originally!_

However, he surprised me by sprinting over to me and clocking me in the face. I instantly fell to the ground.

 _Hey, Earth to dumbass. Maybe you want to take that back._

I then felt Vilgax grab me by one of my legs.

 _Uh-oh._

He picked me up and slammed me into the container that I had thrown him into, causing it to shatter beneath me. I got back up quickly and was going to attack again, but Vilgax beat me to it. He rushed me and tried to strike, but I blocked his strike and returned the strike. He threw a strike towards me and I blocked his fist with my arm, as the force of the strike brought me to a knee.

I used another one of my arms to repeatedly sock him in the face, causing him to step backwards. I took the opportunity that he provided me to rush to one of the nearest pipes and rip it off from the rest. I proceeded to rush him and hit him with it several times. However, he surprised me by blocking all of my strikes by lifting his arms in front of him. After blocking my strike, he grabbed the pipe and wrenched it out of my hands.

He busted it over his knee and threw the fragments of the pipe aside. He then did something that surprised me. He slammed down on a button that I hadn't seen on his chest. At first, nothing happened. But then, he let out a roar of fury, as his arms increased in size. He sprinted toward me and I tried to evade him, but failed miserably.

He sent strike after strike into my chest, before eventually punching me in the face with all the force he had, sending me to the ground again. Before I could get back up or even try to for that matter, he grabbed me and picked me up over his head. He slammed me into the ground and then pressed down onto my chest with his boot.

"Don't get back up." he said.

"Jesus, it's like Bane on Venom." I replied.

He didn't respond. After I spoke, the Omnitrix began beeping and so he took his foot off of my chest. I was then reverted back to human form.

"I will admit that you've impressed me with your persistence to keep the Omnitrix, although I hate persistence. So, I'm going to let you keep the Omnitrix. For now."

"For now?"

"For now. I'm going to talk and you're going to listen, so listen well. I like you, kid. You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. You have a lot of – oh, what is it that you humans call? Oh, yes. Moxie. You have a lot of moxie. And you may or may not have made a new enemy today."

"Uh-huh."

"So, listen closely now. You stay away from me kid; you let me do what I need to do. Or, I will kill everyone you love and then you, just to make a point. How does that sound?"

I nodded.

"Sounds agreeable."

"Good. And kid, don't be a hero. Nobody likes a hero."

 _I beg to differ. They just don't like the kind of hero that I am._

Once I didn't say anything in return, Vilgax seemed satisfied enough to turn and begin walking away from me. Once he was out of my sight, I pushed myself up and back onto my feet. I began to walk in the opposite direction of where Vilgax had gone.

"Gwen!" I called.

I continued walking further back into the ruined park, but I didn't have to walk for long. She eventually rushed out from behind one of the rides and ran over to me.

"Did you do it?!" she asked with curiosity. "Did you get him?!"

I lifted my right arm into view so I could see the Omnitrix. I was relieved to see that it was not sparking with red electricity.

"I did it. The future's changed and for just maybe for the better this time." I said as I looked back at her with a smile. "The Omnitrix isn't damaged, so Ghostfreak should be unable to escape."

"That's good! I'm glad you did it!"

"Yeah, I'm glad..."

I cut myself off when something stood out behind Gwen. It was him, of course it was. It was Mr. Trench Coat. And he was shaking his head as he stared at me from a distance. Gwen took notice of my staring over her shoulder and spoke.

"Ben?"

I didn't answer, so she turned around and looked behind her, but Mr. Trench Coat had already disappeared.

"Ben, what is it?"

"It's nothing. I just thought I saw something. Come on, let's go home."

I didn't give her the time to respond as I turned around and began walking.

 _A Couple Hours Later_

 _Ben's House_

We were back home now, sitting on the couch in silence as we watched T.V. The next time it went to commercial, she got up.

"I'm going to go do your dishes." She replied.

"Um, you don't have to."

"I insist."

She walked into the kitchen after that without a word, leaving me alone. I decided now would be a good time to update my notes, so I got up and walked to my room. I entered my room and walked over to my desk, where my notebook still sat open from the other day. I flipped to the first page, put a dash next to the entry about the attack on the water park and wrote:

 _Omnitrix undamaged. Vilgax lets me off with a warning._

I nodded as I put down my pen.

"Pretty basic, but it'll do."

I walked back out of the room and toward the living room. Before I could even sit back down, there was a knock at the door.

"Can you get that?" Gwen called from the kitchen. "It's your house after all!"

"Yeah, no problem."

I walked over to the door and opened it. I didn't see anyone outside, so I stepped outside and shut the door behind me. There was no one that I could see. I was about to go back in, before I heard someone speak to my left.

"Hey, brother."

I turned to my left and you won't believe who I saw. It was Albedo, who was here much earlier than he should have. The Omnitrix couldn't have created him yet!

"You've been busy." He said.

I just stared at him for a few seconds, before I spoke myself.

"What?"

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed.

* So, what did you all think of this one? What do you think of the aftermath of the apartment incident? How about how the attack on the water park differed from the original timeline? And what do you guys think of Albedo showing up early? I hope that surprised you guys, but it may not have.

* I think that's all I have to say. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 117): You're welcome. As far as Gwen goes, Ben got his head out of his butt. Sooner rather than later._

Thank you, Daniel. As for Gwen, I'd say that I agree with that statement. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 117): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thank you, Jason. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _mike204 (Chapter 117): Good job with the chapter keep it up_

Thank you, Mike. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben and Gwen try to get used to having Albedo around earlier than usual in the timeline. Ben confronts Clancy and keeps him from getting too close to Gwen. In the days following, he tries to prevent Kevin from absorbing the Omnitrix's energy.


	44. Chapter 119: Comatose: Part 7

Chapter 119: Comatose: Part Seven

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen. I won't say anything about this chapter.

* So, let's get into this chapter!

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late May, 2018_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

"What?" I asked.

Albedo looked at me with a strange expression.

"I said, someone's been busy."

I put up my hands with confusion.

"Okay. What exactly are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I've always been here."

 _Okay, stop. Just stop. Telling Gwen the truth is one thing and as much as I trust Albedo, I'm not sure if he can keep his mouth shut. Especially if this is past Albedo that we're talking about, before we actually got along. For now, let's just not tell him anything._

"Yeah, okay. Sure, you have."

"So, you've been busy, yeah?"

"Uh, yes. I have been busy."

 _Don't get me wrong, it was good to see Albedo again. But it was so weird to see him here before he was created in the original timeline. It felt weird to see him here, almost creepy for some reason._

I had no idea what to say to him now, we were just standing there in silence. And thank God that the door behind me opened when it did, because I wasn't sure what would happen.

"Ben, I thought I..." Gwen spoke as she stepped outside, but cut herself off once she saw Albedo and I.

The three of us stood in silence, before she broke said silence.

"Well, just off of the explanations that you gave me, I'm going to have to guess that this is Albedo."

I nodded.

"Yes, it is. Or he is, rather. Is that right? I don't really know or care if it is."

I noticed out of my peripheral that Albedo was looking at me funny, so I turned to look at him. I noticed that he was looking at me like he was confused or something.

"Well, I can certainly say that he's as handsome as you are." Gwen replied.

I turned back to look at her.

"Well, he gets the handsome part from me."

"Thanks." He replied immediately.

I looked at him and then back at Gwen.

"Um, since he's here early, he'll need a place to stay. Is it cool if he stays with us?"

"Absolutely. I don't mind. I have to get back to dishes."

She turned around and walked back into the house before I could say anything else. I turned back to Albedo.

"You can stay with us and crash on the couch, okay?"

"Us?"

"Gwen and I. You know, Gwen? My cousin and therefore your cousin, as well? My girlfriend, Gwen?"

He eventually nodded.

"Oh, Gwen. Right..."

He then walked into the house without another word to me, while I stayed outside. I began to think to myself about what had just happened.

 _Why was he talking like that? Why does he act like he knows something that I don't?_

I let out a sigh that thought came to my mind.

 _There seems to be a lot of that these days,_ I thought.

I eventually decided to quit standing out here and go back in the house. When I walked in, I saw Albedo sitting on the couch, flipping through channels on the T.V.

"Well, well, well. Make yourself right at home." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"That's what I'm doing." He replied without looking at me.

I stood there in silence for a few seconds.

"Well, if you need me, I'll be in my room."

"Alright."

I walked past the T.V. and down the hallway to my room. I walked back into my room and sat down at my desk. I began to go over my notes again to determine what was coming next. I looked at the water park date and then looked at the next one, being confused as I did. According to my notes, the next date was Kevin 11 absorbing the Omnitrix's energy.

While that was all well and good, it didn't sound right to me. I could have sworn that something came before that. Did there really? I scooted my chair away from the desk as I began to think. As I was doing that, Gwen walked into the room.

"Hey." She greeted me.

"Hey." I said as I continued thinking.

"Is it okay if we go for a walk?"

I hardly even registered what she asked, but I did respond.

"Um, can we do that tomorrow? I'm kind of tired after the water park thing."

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"So, what's the next thing on your list?"

"Um, if it's accurate, which I'm not sure that it is, it should be when Kevin absorbs the energy from the Omnitrix."

"What do you mean you're not sure that it's accurate?"

"Well, I think that there's something that comes before that, but I can't remember what!"

"Do you think it's the past pushing back against you?"

I looked back at her.

"You mean the past making sure that I forget what I was supposed to do?" I asked as I nodded. "If you ask me, it makes sense if I'm not supposed to be trying to change the past."

"You seemed kind of unfocused when you were talking to me after the attack at the water park. Did something happen?"

I nodded.

"What happened?"

"I saw Mr. Trench Coat again. And instead of lecturing me, he just shook his head. He didn't say anything. It was like he disapproved of what I was doing."

She let out a sigh.

"He's just not going to leave you alone is he?"

"Probably not."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

I shook my head.

"I have no idea."

Silence fell between us after that.

"I'll leave you alone to think then."

"Thanks."

She then left the room and I continued to think.

 _The Next Day_

The following day, Gwen and I went for a walk like she wanted to. Having nothing to do back at the house, Albedo decided to tag along. He tailed a good length behind us while we talked.

"Gwen, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

She slightly turned her head to look at me.

"Okay. What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember how I mentioned that you have powers?"

She nodded.

"I think so. What was the word? It started with an A?"

I nodded.

"It's Anodite, that's the word. And with you being an Anodite-human hybrid, you have the abilities of one."

"Abilities? What kind are you talking about?"

"There's a lot I could give you for examples. For now, I'll tell you that you can generate these shields of hot pink material called mana and you can use the same mana to throw them as weapons. I once called them Gwen Bolts."

She laughed.

"You did not!"

"I did."

"Oh, come on. That's terrible! It sounds like something from a corny comic book!"

"Well, to be fair, I may have had some inspiration. In the Teen Titans comics, there's this character named Starfire that can fire these bolts of green energy from her hands, which are sometimes called "Star Bolts". That's where I came up with the idea for calling them Gwen Bolts."

She rolled her eyes.

"That's an awful name, Ben."

"Oh, come on, now. You love it."

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

I didn't try to protest again. Instead, I tried to pull her forward for a kiss, but she wasn't having it.

"No, not right now, Ben!" she said as she gently pushed me away.

"Ugh, fine!"

I stopped antagonizing her and we continued walking as we entered one of the public parks in Bellwood's suburbs district. That's when I came to a stop.

 _Wait, public park?_

My eyes widened as it finally hit me.

 _Oh my God! That's what I've been forgetting! Clancy!_

"Gwen." I said as I tightly gripped her arm. "We need to go. Now!"

She looked at me with concern.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Don't question me!" I said as I turned my head, to see a guy not too far behind Gwen, walking as if he were drunk. "We just have to get out of here!"

"Ben, calm down! What's so bad about us being here?!"

Clancy was getting closer and my time was running out.

"Just trust me, please! We have to go, now!"

"What has gotten into you? You're scaring me!"

"Hey baby, why don't you come home with me, tonight?" Clancy exclaimed as he pushed me away from Gwen. "Ditch this guy, this wallflower!"

 _It was too late._

I quickly got back to my feet and saw Clancy forcing Gwen up against a tree.

 _But I could still change this._

I rushed over to them, grabbed the back of Clancy's jacket and pulled him away from her. He rolled through the grass as I stepped in front of Gwen, blocking his path to her. He began to get back up as he looked at me with an angry expression.

"Back off, man. Right now. I don't want to hurt you!"

He didn't take my warning seriously.

"Fuck off!" he exclaimed as he approached again.

I pushed him back, but only by a foot or two. After that, he approached again and punched me in the jaw. I stumbled back a little bit, opening his path to Gwen back up. As he walked towards Gwen, I looked around for something to use against him. As I searched the ground, I saw a stick, maybe as big as the average person's arm in diameter.

 _That'll do._

I picked up the stick and approached Clancy again.

"Back off! Leave her alone!"

He ignored me and proceeded to pull on her shirt, hard enough for it to rip at the shoulder, revealing Gwen's bra strap.

 _What was I doing? He wasn't going to stop just because I asked him to!_

I grabbed the back of his jacket again and pulled him away from Gwen. He stumbled backwards and once again; I blocked his path.

"Stop right now! Just walk away! I don't want to hurt you, but this is your last warning! Don't make a single step towards her!"

 _I didn't want to hurt him. Despite what you may believe, I didn't enjoy hurting people. And if I could cause him to back off without having to hurt him, that was the preferable outcome._

Well, you know what? He kept coming anyway. And so, I hit him in the knee with the stick first. He stumbled forward as he let out a yell of pain. He still tried to approach anyway, so I hit him in the arm. And again, and then again. He eventually backed up from me and looked at me with anger and hate.

"Why you..." he exclaimed. "Fuck you! Fuck you! I won't let you keep me from..."

 _Homerun._

I cut him off by hitting him in the face with the stick as if I were hitting a baseball. He went down after that, crumbling into a heap in the grass below me. After seeing that he didn't move anymore, I dropped the stick.

"God damn it." I said. "Why didn't he listen to me? He could have just walked away! There was no need to hurt him!"

I turned to Gwen, who stared past me and then adjusted her gaze to look at me. I stepped towards her and unlike the original timeline, she didn't back away.

"Gwen, are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you. Was that the reason you were telling me that we should leave?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. And I think that this is the thing that I forgot about."

She just looked at me without saying anything. I pulled out my phone, put in my password and brought up the number pad.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling 911." I said as I looked back up at her. "I want to get him to a hospital and ultimately, away from you so he's permanently out of the equation."

 _A Few Minutes Later_

After I called 911, I told Gwen to go home.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'm gonna make sure that he gets taken. Go without me and have Albedo walk you home."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

She turned and began to walk away, as she did her best to cover her shoulder. I turned to look at Clancy and I saw him. Who else but Mr. Trench Coat? He was standing a few feet away from me, with a disapproving look on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

"You've made a mistake." He said.

I shook my head.

"No, I would have to say that I've done a great thing."

"You don't understand. What you've just done will lead to great consequences."

"You know what? Fuck off. Stop doing whatever it is that you do and leave me alone!"

He just stared at me without a word.

"What? Is there something going on behind me?"

I turned around and saw nothing but the ambulance finally arriving. After seeing only that, I turned back to Mr. Trench Coat, only to see that he was gone now. I cursed with frustration.

"And, he's done it again."

I turned back around, to see Clancy being picked up and put onto a gurney. I was unsure of what to do now. There was no reason to stick around for any longer. It was then that I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around, to see Albedo standing there.

 _What was he still doing here?! I told Gwen to have him walk her home!_

"Do you want to tell me what the hell just happened?"

"What do you mean? And why aren't..."

"Let's take this one step at a time. How about we start with how you just attacked an innocent man for no reason!"

"Innocent man?! You didn't just call Clancy an 'innocent man'!"

"Oh, so you know his name, too? What exactly did he do to you? Why did you beat the shit out of him like that?"

"Why did I... Albedo, he was trying to get to Gwen! Did you not see him try to assault her?!"

He continued to stare at me as his gaze softened.

"Oh, now I see. Um, Ben, I think we need to talk about something."

 _Oh, you think?_

"You don't say."

"It's not about what you think."

"It's not?"

He put his hand on my back and started walking us away from the crowd of people that had formed around the ambulance.

"Will you just tell me?!"

"Not here."

"Why not?!"

"Don't make a scene."

"Oh, you're telling me not to make a scene?!"

"Ben."

I let out a sigh and shut my mouth. Eventually, we came to a stop by a tree, far away from any spectators.

"Okay, when I tell you what I'm about to tell you, try not to make a scene."

"Just tell me already."

"Yeah, you got it, pal. So, you claim that you saw Clancy attack Gwen? Is that right?"

"Not claimed. It actually happened."

He shook his head.

"I'm not sure that it did. Just relax, try not to get angry."

"I'm fine, Albedo. I'm calm. Real calm!"

"What you did was attack an innocent man. A man who never did anything to you."

I was having trouble staying calm.

"Never did anything to me?! He attacked Gwen! He... He tried to assault her! And he's going to..."

Albedo was giving me this look, like he knew that it was impossible for me to listen. He sighed as I kept talking and interrupted me a few seconds later.

"Gwen's dead."

I stopped talking and shut my mouth for a second.

 _What did he just say?_

"What?"

"There! I said it!"

"No. No. Repeat what you just said."

He nodded.

"Gwen is dead, alright buddy? She has been for a while now. And I think you need help. You are obviously having a hard time in trying to let her go."

I put my hand in his face.

"Shut up."

I turned from him and tried to comprehend what he was telling me.

 _Gwen... dead? No! There's no way! I would know if she was really gone! It's not like I've been imagining her! She's alive! Albedo is the one who's crazy!_

Speaking of Albedo, he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Let me get you some help, bro. I know how you feel right now."

"Stop it. Shut up and leave me alone."

"Dude, I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth! Gwen really is dead! Now, what you need to do is go apologize for beating up an innocent man! You have to turn yourself..."

I spun around and punched Albedo in the jaw, sending him to the ground. He slammed into the tree trunk as he landed in the grass. He hissed with pain, before he looked up at me.

"Dude, why did you..."

I pointed down at him and he stopped talking.

"Don't say a word! I should throw you out after what you said, but I'm willing to overlook this whole thing!"

He stared up at me with what I thought was fear.

"Dude..."

"Shut it! I'm going to forget that we had this conversation! And I'm going home! You can come back when you've had some time to think and come back to a sensible state of mind!"

I didn't wait for him to respond. I just turned right around and started walking away.

 _Sometime Later_

 _Ben's House_

"He said you were dead!" I shouted, throwing my notebook at the wall.

 _Okay, obviously I hadn't forgot about my conversation with Albedo. It was just impossible._

"And I'm not."

"Of course, you're not! It doesn't make any sense! I can't be imagining you!"

"And you're not, I promise. I'm real. And I'm really here."

I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, some good news! Finally, good God!"

"Hey, just relax. Try not to let it get to you."

"Try. Easier said than done. It practically sounded like he was crazy!"

"Ben, just relax."

I let out a sigh as I took a deep breath and let it out.

"Okay, calm. No big deal!"

"Thank you."

Just then, I heard the door open.

"Oh, brilliant! Mr. Crazy's home!"

"Relax, Ben!"

I sighed.

"Right. Sorry."

Gwen and I were in silence now. Eventually, there was a knock at the door that broke the silence.

"Hey, Ben, buddy?" Albedo asked from the other side. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

I looked at Gwen. She shrugged, as if to tell me the choice was up to me. I sighed and got off the bed. Once I got to the door, I opened it.

"No." I said, about to shut the door again.

"But..."

"No buts!" I said as I shut the door. "Just leave me alone."

I walked back over to my bed and flopped down onto my back, where Gwen joined me. I looked at her with concern.

"Hey, I hope the whole park thing didn't scare you."

She shook her head.

"No, I understand. You were just defending me. You don't have to apologize and I have nothing to be scared of."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's good to hear."

We laid there in silence for a minute or two, before she spoke up.

"Hey, I have an idea."

"Okay. What do ya got for me?"

"You need something to take your mind off of things. Why I don't I call my brother and you can call your friends, and we'll have a game day tomorrow."

I looked at her with concern.

"But... that's how Kevin got his powers!"

She shook her head.

"No, if you told me correctly, he got his powers from shaking your hand and absorbing the Omnitrix's energy. All you have to do is prevent him from making contact long enough for him to absorb the energy!"

As I thought about what she said, I began to smile.

"Hey, you're right!"

She winked at me.

"Hey, mom's always right!"

"You're not a mom. But you might be some day."

She chuckled as she stroked my cheek.

"Oh, yeah?"

I chuckled as our lips met and we kissed as she snuggled up against me.

 _Later That Night_

I left my room later in the night to have a quick chat with Albedo. I walked down the hallway and into the living room, to see him sitting on the couch. He looked up at me with a nervous glance. I pointed to the door.

"Outside. We need to have a talk."

He let out a sigh as he got up.

"Okay, okay. I'm not a dog."

"No wise cracking." I replied. "Just go outside, now!"

He walked over to the front door and opened it as I followed him. Once we were both outside, I shut the door behind me. He stepped down onto the path to the driveway and turned to look at me.

"So, what's on your mind?" he asked. "Is this about what I said in the park today?"

I crossed my arms over my chest as I shot him a disapproving glance.

"Don't! I don't even want to think about that."

He didn't say anything, so I continued.

"Look, I'm having some friends over tomorrow and I can't have you here."

He gave me an offended look.

"Why not?!"

"Because none of them know who you are yet. It'll be hard to explain my twin brother that I never had until now and I frankly don't remember how we did it last time."

"Last time?"

I waved my hand.

"Forget about what I said. Please, just go out for the day tomorrow. I'm pleading with you, dude."

He looked at me, before he sighed.

"Well, if I got out tomorrow, what am I supposed to do?"

"Start searching for a man named Leon Jones. Keep tabs on him and get me as much information on him as you can. He's important!"

He just chuckled.

"Don't tell me. You're gonna beat on another innocent man, right?"

My temper flared at that mention, as slight as it was.

"Do you really want to live out on the streets in a cardboard box?"

His amused expression faded.

"Sorry." He said in a low tone.

I turned around to walk back into the house.

"You should be."

 _The Next Morning_

After breakfast the following morning, I had to send Albedo on his way.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm going!"

I just waved at Albedo as he walked out the door.

"Don't be a stranger, Albedo!"

He gave me the finger as he walked off down the driveway. I chuckled as I shut the door. I turned around to face Gwen, who was sitting on the couch.

"So, when does everyone get here?"

She smiled at me.

"Soon." She replied.

 _Later That Day_

I heard a knock at the door and I got up before Gwen could.

"I'll get that." I replied.

I walked to the door and opened it, seeing Kevin, J.T., Cash and Ken standing on the stoop outside on the stoop.

"Well, how about, cuz? You gonna let us in?" Ken asked.

"Absolutely! Come on in, guys!"

I stepped out of the way so they could walk in. Once they shut the door behind them, Cash turned to me.

"Man, how have you been?" he asked, as he stepped up to me.

"I've been great, Cash!"

"I bet you've been good." J.T. said, as he stepped over to stand next to Cash.

I turned my head to look at J.T.

"You have an extremely hot cousin to hang out with, you follow me?"

I rolled my eyes as I sighed with disgust.

"J.T., that's my sister you're talking about." Ken spoke up.

J.T.'s face suddenly turned bright red.

"Oh, right. Sorry about that."

"Uh-huh. Yeah, sure. I bet you are. Now, how about we get this game day on the road?"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Kevin exclaimed.

"Follow me. We can set up in the basement."

A couple minutes later, Gwen, Kevin and I were all downstairs. Kevin was off in the corner, tossing darts at the dartboard and Gwen stood with me, while I set up the LAN party for Ken, J.T. and Cash to connect to when they got down here. As I was setting up the LAN party, I heard a commotion coming from the stairs. I turned to look at the stairs with confusion.

 _What's going on?_

I walked over to the stairs, to see J.T. and Cash coming down the stairs, struggling to carry a T.V. down.

 _Oh, right. I forgot about that._

"Um, what exactly do you think you guys are doing?"

"Um, we grabbed the T.V. from upstairs, why?" J.T. asked.

"Would it really have been hard to grab a T.V. from Ken's house? Or from your house, or from Cash's house, or from Kevin's house?" I asked.

"Leave me out of this." Kevin said.

I rolled my eyes.

 _Just like old times._

"I didn't want to have to carry it through the living room." J.T. said, along with Cash nodding.

"You're so lazy. Besides, you could have borrowed the T.V. from my room!"

J.T. snickered.

"Get real Ben! We all know about the box of tissues and magazines under your bed!"

They all started laughing. Kevin started laughing; J.T and Cash began laughing as they put the T.V. down. Even Ken laughed, as he came down the stairs. I looked over at Gwen, who was blushing and doing her best to hold back her laughter. I turned back to J.T., as I began to laugh myself.

"Eh, whatever." I said.

"Wait, you're not going to get mad?" he asked. "Hit me maybe?"

I shrugged.

"Why should I? It's just a stupid joke. Alright, people! Let's plug this T.V. and Xbox in and get on with this thing!"

About fifteen minutes later, we had the T.V., Xbox and the LAN Party set up. Kevin, Gwen and I were playing on the bigger T.V., where I had already set up the LAN Party. And Ken, J.T., and Cash were playing on the smaller flat screen on the other side of the room. I had gotten chairs for them from the storage/laundry room. The game session lasted about three and a half hours.

And since there were six of us, we decided to play on Blood Gulch for the whole time. Kevin and I were constantly switching from sitting on the couch or the floor, while Gwen stuck to the couch most of the time. I would have to say that J.T. is the worst player out of the bunch. I was walking along the cliffs in the game, when I heard him speak from across the room.

"Surprise, motherfucker!" he exclaimed, as his character jumped out of nowhere at me.

Only, his character missed me.

"Oh God!" he exclaimed, as his character fell off the cliff, to which everyone else laughed.

The second game we did was Team Slayer, with Gwen, Kevin and I as a team and the other three as a team. We looked around the entire canyon of the map and couldn't find the enemy team. We eventually found them in a cave, armed to the teeth with Rocket Launchers.

"Run! Women and children last!" I exclaimed, as I ran away, barely missing a rocket that killed both of my team members.

I continued running, but J.T. and Cash both ran after me.

"Where are your papers?!" Cash screamed in a mock German accent, causing all of us to laugh.

Somehow, I don't know how, we won the game.

 _One Hour Later_

Kevin and I took a break from the gaming, and went outside to get a breath of fresh air. Besides, he said it was time for him to be getting home. Once we were outside, we were talking about something, I don't remember what, when Kevin brought something up.

"Give it up, Alien Guy." he said. "I know your secret, Ben."

I chuckled.

"You know my secret?"

"Yeah! You're that Alien Guy, right?"

"Okay, you caught me. Big whoop."

"Big whoop? You're not going to try to deny it?"

"Why should I? What do you want anyway?"

"I want to get in on the action. Whatever makes you do that alien thing, I want a piece of it."

I shook my head.

"Sorry, pal. I won't allow it. It's too dangerous."

"Alright, fine. If you say so. We played a few good games today, right?"

He stuck out his hand.

"Yeah, we did."

 _Huh. He must have bought it._

I took his hand and we shook.

 _Well, that was easier than I thought._

"I'll see you later, pal. Take care of yourself."

"Yeah, you do the same."

He let go of my hand and as he looked at me, he winked. Before he turned away, I noticed his green eyes.

 _His green eyes? No… Kevin had brown eyes! What was I supposed to do again?_

I lifted my Omnitrix hand into view.

 _Oh, no. He shook my hand!_

I facepalmed as I hissed with anger and confusion.

"Oh, come on!"

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed.

* What do you guys think of the confrontation with "Nathan" at the beginning? How about what happened with Clancy? What about what Albedo said about Gwen? Why do you think he would say such a thing? And finally, why do you think Ben allowed Kevin to shake his hand?

* I think that's all I got. I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _Daniel6 (Chapter 118): All good. Albedo is has returned. Ben really needed his brother back._

Thank you, Daniel. Yes, Albedo has returned. Although, after this chapter, I'm not sure that your opinion will remain the same. Thanks for the review, as always.

 _jasongd (Chapter 118): And another great chapter congrats BWEN Forever_

Thank you, Jason. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Ben tries to figure out how he ended up shaking Kevin's hand. Meanwhile, Ben saves Kevin's hostages and tries to keep his best friend's condition from getting worse. Ben's situation once again worsens.


	45. Chapter 120: Comatose: Part 8

Chapter 120: Comatose: Part Eight

 _ **I Don't Own Ben 10 Or Any Of The Characters**_

 _ **I Don't Own The Rights To Nathan Black Or Any Associated Characters, The Rights Go To annihalator2015**_

 _Author's Note:_

* Hello and welcome to Chapter One Hundred and Twenty.

* I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Anyway, let's get right into it.

 _Earth-Prime_

 _Late May, 2018_

 _Ben's House_

 _Ben_

I let out a hiss of annoyance as I sat at the desk in my room.

 _How did I forget to avoid contact with him? Is it that past pushing back again?_

"Is there any way that you can stop all of the trouble he'll cause?" Gwen asked from her spot on my bed.

I turned to look at her.

"Yeah, if I can find him before he does anything."

"Well, shouldn't you start looking?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. I suppose I should."

I got up from my bed and left my room. Since everyone had left, I had allowed Albedo to return home. I walked into the living room to talk to him.

"Did you do what I asked?" I replied.

He rolled his eyes, got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. He eventually came back with a fat file, full of papers.

"Here you go." He said as he handed it to me.

"How'd you get all of this that quickly?"

He snickered.

"I have my ways."

I ignored him as I opened the file. It was all there. All of the info on Leon Jones, the rumored body count that he had built, everything.

"Leon Jones, paranoid ex-marine driven crazy after he had to put his family down, who had been mutated by Doctor Aloysius Animo. Ever since then, he's been putting down common thugs and terrorists alike."

"Doctor who?"

"Nothing, just forget it. Anyway, Albedo? Thanks for getting this for me. I really appreciate it."

He got up from the couch.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever."

He walked through the kitchen and towards the basement stairs. Once he was gone, I let out a sigh of annoyance.

"Typical. Ever after all I've done for him, his manners are still terrible. If I remembered correctly, Albedo would soon come to hate being the third wheel in our group. And there's only one person that I know of who could change that."

I cursed in frustration as I realized it.

 _I had been selfish to have those thoughts. As much as I hated the idea, I had to allow Sunny to exist._

I facepalmed as I hissed with anger and annoyance.

"Oh, no." I groaned.

 _The Next Morning_

When I awoke the next morning, I found that Gwen was gone. I let out a yawn as I got up from my bed. I looked to my nightstand to see a note lying there. I picked it up and saw that it was from Gwen.

 _Ben,_

 _I went out for lunch with some old friends from St. Agnes. Be back later._

 _Love,_

 _Gwen_

"Alright, so Gwen went out. That gives me time to look for Kevin!"

 _Later That Day_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

"Oh come on, Benji! You really can't tell when your best friend is right in front of you?"

Turns out Kevin was robbing a bank using my powers, again. And I had played dumb at first, pretending not to know who he was. He began to let out several pained groans, as I watched his face morph from Four Arms' face, to Ripjaws' face, to Diamondhead's face and finally to his human face. It was Kevin.

"Kevin." I said with anger.

"Bingo! Yahtzee!" Kevin exclaimed, laughing. "Will someone get this guy a prize?!"

I decided to continue playing dumb, for reasons I didn't understand.

"But how did you do it? How could you possibly transform into one of my alien forms?"

"Um, because I'm an energy sponge?"

"A what now?"

"Um, I absorb energy? So when I shook hands with you, whatever sort of energy allows you to transform, I absorbed it!"

"Oh, right. Duh."

He just chuckled.

"It just so happens that I know all of your secrets, old friend."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?"

"Your desire to protect the one you love the most."

I rolled my eyes, all four of them.

"Uh, that's not just my desire. That's everyone's desire."

"Okay, I suppose you need a refresher. Do you remember how it felt to kiss your cousin Gwen a couple days ago?"

"Just get to the point, Kevin!"

"Fine. You and I are going to play a game. And if you want to win, then you need to play by the rules."

"I'm listening."

"Good. Rule one, do what I say. Rule two, do not fail, or there will discipline. Strict discipline. Now, go home."

"Go home, huh? Is it really that simple?"

He nodded without a word.

"Okay, if you say so."

I turned away from him without saying another word.

 _Ten Minutes Later_

 _Ben's House_

Once I got back, the Omnitrix timed out. I walked up to the door and as I expected, saw a note attached to it. I tore it off and began to read it.

 _Benji,_

 _Ready to play? I hope you remember the rules I told you about. All four of those people that were in your house yesterday have been taken by yours truly. But here's the question: Can you save all four of them before time runs out? Your two best friends are at the abandoned water park, fastened to the top of a water slide with that annoying little sting wing's goop. The goop dissolves in thirty minutes. And if that happens, your friends will, well, let's just say the best case scenarios for the both of them are broken legs. As for Gwen and her brother, they are with me, at the top of the tallest building in Downtown Bellwood. Your little girlfriend has one hour, or she'll be nothing but a bloody stain on the sidewalk below. Same goes for her brother. Prove to me that you can save them at least three of them and you're off the hook._

 _Best Regards,_

 _K._

I tore up the note into shreds and dropped them onto the stoop.

 _He's playing this Jigsaw game again!_ _Okay, save J.T. and Cash first, and then I'll get Ken and Gwen._

I put my hand on my face as I let out an annoyed sigh.

 _Why, oh why couldn't I remember to avoid contact?_

 _Forty Minutes Later_

 _Downtown Bellwood_

I landed on the satellite pole on the top of the news tower, just a few feet away from Kevin, who was in Four Arms form once again.

 _Okay, here I am. And I'm ready to relive one of the tensest moments of my superhero career!_

He was holding both Ken and Gwen off of the roof of the building, so they were out in mid-air.

"Good, you made it!" Kevin exclaimed. "Let's talk!"

I knew I couldn't talk him out of this, so I just listened.

"You see, every hero has to make a choice in their life."

He scratched his chin with one of his free hands, before he spoke again.

"Like for example, Spider-Man had to choose between a married life with Mary Jane Watson or a thrilling life with the Black Cat."

"Um, that's a very random example, but okay."

"Shut up."

He dropped Gwen and then quickly caught her by the wrist. I didn't talk again after that.

"I gave you a choice. The choice was you let me in on the action, or I make you say goodbye to your friends. And what did you say?"

"I told you to forget about it."

"Right. And since that didn't work, I've come up with a new choice for you."

He lifted Gwen a bit higher up.

"I can kill the woman you love, right here and right now."

He lifted Ken a bit next.

"Or, she can lose her big brother who's just about to go off to college."

"How did you know that…" Ken began to speak, but Kevin beat him to it.

"Hey, shut up!" Kevin said, as he bopped Ken on the top of his head.

He turned back to look at me.

"So? What'll it be?"

I knew where this was going, so I didn't say anything.

"We all have to make choices in life! Now, choose!"

He then dropped them both and they both screamed as they fell. I didn't waste anytime in saying something. I jumped off of the roof and dived toward Gwen while I was still in my Diamondhead form.

 _I'm not going be able to catch Ken, too! He's too far from me!_

I got close enough to Gwen and hugged her to my chest. I looked back at Ken.

 _We don't have very long until we reach the ground and I can't catch him. But maybe I can create a slide-like structure for him to reach the ground with!_

I tried to fire diamond shards to create something like that, but I only fired three, one of which cut Ken's arm.

 _Okay, let's not try that again. But, I still can't do anything for him!_

Good thing I didn't have to. Just then, another Fourarms came out of nowhere and caught Ken. A black and white Fourarms. Albedo. Seeing that Ken was out of harms way, I returned my attention to the fact that we had seconds before we reached the ground.

 _I have to make sure that I take the brunt of the fall!_

I began to rotate myself as we fell through the air, that I was the one who'd hit the ground first. And I did. Seconds later, I smashed back-first into the ground. I heard Gwen let out a groan as we landed, so I knew that she was (mostly) unharmed. After a few seconds, I got up from the ground, still cradling Gwen against my chest. I gently let go of her and she stepped away from me, holding her side as she looked up at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded.

"I will be. Thank you."

I turned to see Albedo holding Ken as they landed, who looked more dazed than Gwen did. He put Ken down and he began to shake his head. I walked over to Albedo.

"It's awfully convenient for you to be here." I replied.

"I could say the same." He said. "You and I need to have a talk, bro."

I looked up at the News Building that we had been on top of. Kevin was leaping across to the next rooftop.

"Later. I have a freak to catch."

I took off running without saying anything else.

"I'm coming with you!" Albedo called to me.

"No, you're not! Take Gwen home!"

 _Ten Minutes Later_

After I left Albedo, Gwen and Ken, I followed Kevin to the old tenement building that he briefly stayed in. By the time that I had gotten there, the Omnitrix had timed out and I was human again. I kicked through the old wooden boards that blocked the entrance without a care in the world and walked in.

"Kevin, I know you're here!"

He didn't respond.

"So, what do you want now? To kill me?"

"No, but of course you would think that."

"What you did back there wasn't cool. You can't do that stuff like that, Kevin."

"Why not?"

"Because, Kevin! With great power comes great…"

"Don't feed me that comic book super hero bullshit! You and I are not the same, Tennyson! You want to be a hero, you want to help people. I, on the other hand, want to use my power to benefit myself!"

 _This isn't normal. This isn't how I remember this talk going!_

"Alright, Kevin. Just relax, dude. I'm coming up there."

He didn't respond. Instead, I heard a series of grunts of pain, followed by a roar of anger.

 _Great, he's mutated again._

"Okay, Kevin. I'll be right there."

I began to run up flight after flight of stairs, until I got up to the sixth floor. I walked around in the dark looking for Kevin, until a shadow caught my eye.

"Oh, Kevin. Thank God, I was beginning to…"

I stopped dead in my tracks once he came into sight, thanks to a stream of light coming from a window that hadn't been boarded up. He was hideous! I mean, he did mutate before, but this was completely different. It was like he was some kind of hybrid version of Fourarms and a human.

He still had his human head, but it half of his face was the face of Fourarms. He had four arms, but only one of them was an actual alien arm. One of his arms was human, and the other two were red and scrawny. As for his body, he had human skin, about until down to his abdomen, where it was as if his skin had meshed with Fourarms' skin. He looked like something out of Frankenstein's Monster!

"Would you look at what you've done to me?! I'm an abomination! I need more of that thing's energy!"

I shook my head.

"Kevin, just calm down. I think I can help you. I know some people who could…"

"Shut the fuck up! You don't know shit! All I need is more of that thing's energy!"

I began to back away from him as I put up my hands.

"More energy won't help and it won't change you back! Now, if you would just listen…"

He let out a roar and charged at me without letting me finish. I tried to get out of the way, but I was too late. He grabbed the Omnitrix and began attempting to pry it off of me.

"Give me the damn thing!"

"Kevin, stop! You don't know what you're doing!"

He didn't say anything else. As he continued to pull on the Omnitrix, it began to spark green electricity. I tried to pull away from his grip, but he was too strong. As he continued to pull, a green sphere began to grow around the Omnitrix.

"Kevin, seriously! You need to stop! Something bad is about to happen!"

He didn't say anything; he just pulled harder. And as he continued, it happened. The sphere exploded and both of us were blown backwards. I slammed into a wall and hit the ground with a groan. As I pushed myself up, I heard a something that sounded like sparking. I looked at the Omnitrix, to see that it was sparking with red electricity. My eyes widened.

"Oh, no."

I looked over at Kevin, who was standing in the shadows, hunched over.

"Kevin?"

He seemed to straighten up. I got up and took a few steps closer to him.

"Kevin?" I called out again.

He quickly rushed out of the shadows and I saw Kevin. The _new_ Kevin. First of all, his mouth was full of razor-sharp teeth of varying sizes. His "skin" was made up of a multitude of different colors. He still had four arms, one was a Diamondhead arm, one was a Heatblast arm, one was an arm made of some slimy, green goo and the last one was just a plain old Fourarms' arm. He let out a roar as he charged at me. I had a feeling that the Kevin I knew wasn't in there anymore. But I still had to try. Just as I was about to speak, his green arm turned into a tentacle and launched itself toward me. I grabbed it out of the air before it could strike me.

"Listen to me, Kevin! You're stronger than this!"

He didn't respond with words. He let out another snarl and threw a fireball with one of his arms. I dove out of the way, as the fireball flew past me and exploded against the wall behind me. I looked back at him, as I tried to put distance between him and I.

"This isn't you, Kevin! It's the mutation!"

He responded by thrashing his tentacle at me again and shooting a couple of diamond shards my way. I dove out of the way once again. I looked back at him as he approached.

"I've mutated before, I know what it's doing to you!"

He backed me up into a corner and threw a punch in my direction. I moved out of the way, so his fist smashed into the wall.

"Let me help you, before you do something that you'll regret!"

His fist was momentarily stuck in the wall, so he took the time to attempt pulling it out. I should have known that he wouldn't be capable of being reasoned with. I ducked out of his way and began to back away from him as he continued struggling to pull his fist out of the wall. I walked over to the one window that wasn't boarded up.

"I have to get Kevin to a safe area before he hurts someone!" I whispered to myself.

Just then, Kevin pulled his fist from the wall and turned in my direction, hissing as he did. Just then, the Omnitrix turned green again. I activated it and turned into Fourarms.

"Uh-oh, got to go!"

I leaped from the window to the roof across from the old tenement building. And I started running, not daring to look back. Any second wasted was time he could take to catch up to me. I had crossed three or four rooftops when I decided to turn around. Kevin was nowhere in sight. I walked over to the edge of the roof, expecting to see him scaling the wall below. No dice. I began to look around.

"Where'd he go? No, seriously! Where'd he go?!"

Suddenly, I was hit from behind and was sent falling from the roof. I eventually slammed into a car upon reaching the ground and I heard something hit the ground next to me. I looked in that direction as I got up, to see Kevin lying on the ground, still mutated.

 _It was Kevin_ , I thought, groaning as I pushed myself up. _But how did he get behind me?_

I noticed Kevin began to stir, so I directed my attention to him. I stepped closer to him.

"Kevin, buddy? Are you in there?"

As I stared at Kevin, I felt something tap my shoulder. I looked over to my shoulder, to see a green tentacle floating above my shoulder. As soon as I noticed it, it quickly wrapped itself around my throat. And _tightly_. So tight in fact, that I was struggling to breath. Kevin quickly got up as his tentacle arm lifted me up off the ground.

 _How did I not notice that Kevin's tentacle was arm moving?_

Kevin fired a few fireballs from his Heatblast arm, which created a fire below my feet.

 _He was trying to cook me alive!_

He was cutting off my air; everything was slowly starting to go black. So, at this rate, he may not have to wait for me to roast. I might suffocate before he cooks me! Just as it seemed all hope was lost, Kevin was hit by a barrage of energy. He let out a shriek of pain, as his tentacle released me. I fell into the fire below, but was quick to get out of it. Kevin stood there shrieking for a few more seconds, sparking with electricity. Eventually, the barrage stopped and he fell to the ground, before changing back into his previous human-Fourarms hybrid form.

"You! Put your hands over your head and get on the fucking ground!"

I turned to look in the direction of the voice, to see multiple people in uniform, all armed to the teeth with laser weapons. They were agents of S.E.C.T. no doubt. And the guy at the helm had blonde hair and had a scar running over one of his eyes.

 _Director Steel. So "good" to see you again._

I backed up a little from Kevin's body.

"What are you, deaf?! Get on the fucking ground, now!"

I was about to do what he said, but I heard a familiar voice.

"Director?"

Director Steel turned to the right a little bit, looking to where Grandpa Max's voice was coming from.

"Maxwell? What are you doing here?"

Grandpa Max couldn't help me out of this. I hadn't taken the time to go talk to him about the Omnitrix and stuff. Seeing a distraction, I quickly turned and jumped up into the air.

"Hey! He's getting away!"

They began shooting at me and miraculously, I wasn't hit. I landed up on a low roof and took off running.

 _As much as I hate leaving Kevin there, there isn't a good way out for me!_

I jumped from rooftop to rooftop for a block or two, before jumping down into the side alleys below. Just as I did that, the Omnitrix timed out. As I walked through the alley, I pulled off my mask and stuffed it into one of my jacket pockets. Next I did the same for my gloves, before zipping up my jacket.

 _I don't believe it. Saved by Director Steel and the boys at S.E.C.T., after I myself hardly accomplished anything! And to make matters worse, the Omnitrix is sparking red electricity again. Which means that Ghostfreak is going to escape._

I let out a sigh.

 _Whatever. Hopefully now I can get home without drawing unwanted attention to myself._

 _Sometime Later_

 _Ben's House_

After I got home, I explained to Gwen how I had failed. I had done even worse than I had before, but she still supported me. And since I had brought up her powers the other day, right now we were trying to get them to activate. We stood in the kitchen and I was trying to get her to move an empty glass.

"Just try to concentrate."

"I am!"

She said she was concentrating and yet, nothing was happening.

"Try harder."

She continued to stare at the empty glass, before looking back at me. She shook her head.

"I can't. Nothing's happening."

I nodded.

"That's okay. We'll work on that later."

I looked around and took notice of how Gwen and I were the only ones in the room.

"Hey, uh, where's Albedo? He said he wanted to talk to me."

"I think he's in your room."

"Okay, I guess I'll go talk with him now."

I left the kitchen without another word. I walked down the hall and into my room.

"Hey, Albedo. I…"

"Do you mind explaining to me what the hell this is?"

Albedo cut me off before I could finish greeting him. I turned to look at him. He was holding an open notebook.

 _Wait, a notebook?_

My face flushed. He was holding the notebook that I had written all of my notes in.

"I'm not going to ask again. What is this?"

 _Author's Note:_

* And that's it for this chapter. So, what did you think of this one? I hope you all enjoyed it.

* What does everyone think of Kevin's new mutation in this chapter? Do you think Gwen will learn to use her powers? I don't think I have anything else.

* Anyway, I'm going to go though, so have a Bwen-tastic day and bye.

 _ **Review Responses**_

 _jasongd (Chapter 119): And another great chapter congrats I knew Ben would have a hard time changing the future But I still hope he'll succeed BWEN Forever_

Thank you, Jason. Yes, Ben will have a hard time trying to change the future. Only time will tell if he is able to do it. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next Chapter: Albedo wants in on Ben's quest to save the timeline. Gwen has doubts about her powers. Meanwhile, Ben tries to tackle the Leon Jones situation.


End file.
